Vietnam secured a place in the third-place playoff of the tournament after a comeback victory against Pakistan, winning 4-2. This win sets them up to face Malaysia on October 5.
Pakistan initially took the lead in the 31st minute when Mohib Ullah took advantage of a defensive error to score against goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang. However, Vietnam responded robustly in the second half, with substitute Nguyen Dinh Bac and Phan Tuan Tai significantly influencing the game’s momentum.
Nguyen Hai Long equalized for Vietnam just five minutes into the second half, assisted by Tuan Tai. The Vietnamese team then took the lead in the 57th minute when Dinh Bac created space on the left flank and set up captain Nguyen Hoang Duc, who scored with his left foot.
In the 80th minute, Dinh Bac extended Vietnam’s lead by controlling a long pass from Tuan Tai and finishing neatly at the near post. Pakistan managed to reduce the deficit in the 88th minute when Ali Akbar Khan’s shot deflected off Kaleem Ullah, sneaking past Le Giang.
Vietnam secured their victory in stoppage time as Dinh Bac assisted Williams Minh Hoang, who netted his first international goal, making the final score 4-2. The victory gives Vietnam second place in Group B with six points, keeping alive their hopes of winning a bronze medal. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Thailand are set to face off in the final.