Still choked up with the historic quarterfinals of U.23 Vietnam defeating Iraq, hoping for the miracle to come again

Carrying the baggage of 3rd place in the M-150 Cup friendly tournament in Thailand, no one dared to think that U.23 Vietnam could do so many things at U.23 Asia 2018. More worth mentioning, coach of U.23 Vietnam at that time was Mr. Park Hang-seo, a “newcomer” to Southeast Asia. The Korean strategist does not have many outstanding achievements in the “Land of Kimchi”, so he cannot avoid skeptical looks from fans about his true ability.

If it is said that U.23 Vietnam entered the quarter-finals of the 2024 Asian U.23 tournament against U.23 Iraq with an unconvincing performance, then in the 2018 tournament, it was even worse. U.23 Vietnam is in the same group as U.23 Korea, Australia, and Syria, and every match with the “Golden Star Warriors” is heart-stopping. With only 4 points after 3 matches and thanks to luck, U.23 Vietnam is in the round of 8 strongest teams.

Coach Park Hang-seo confidently announced that U.23 Vietnam will play offensively against U.23 Iraq. However, the absence of Doan Van Hau on the left wing because he suffered a thigh muscle injury in the pre-match training session somewhat affected that intention. U.23 Vietnam had to push Van Thanh to the left wing and Xuan Manh – a player at that time playing for SLNA, not yet known to many people, played on the right wing. In addition to this change, Phan Van Duc was also played in Van Toan’s position.

The weather in Thuong Thuc (China) on January 20, 2018 was very cold, the temperature was only 8 degrees Celsius. However, the on-field performance of U.23 Vietnam “warmed” the hearts of many Vietnamese fans.

With outstanding strength, it is not difficult to understand that Iraq U.23 has a diverse array of attacks. After passing long passes and then attacking in the middle, the representative of the West Asian region clearly showed his intention to score an early goal, “slapping” the ambitions of U.23 Vietnam.

But before creating any dangerous shots, Iraq U.23’s net shook. In the 12th minute, after Van Duc’s hook in the penalty area, striker Cong Phuong scored the opening goal for U.23 Vietnam. This is Cong Phuong’s first goal at U.23 Asia and is more meaningful because it helps U.23 Vietnam have an advantage over U.23 Iraq.

Having conceded a goal, Iraq U.23 was anxious to find an equalizer. However, thanks to the heavy-handed decision of Australian referee Chris Beath, coach Al Ghazali’s team was able to equalize the score. Everything came in the 28th minute when the referee thought that Hussein was fouled by Xuan Manh in the penalty area. Facing Bui Tien Dung, Hussein easily brought the match back to the starting line.

After this situation, the first half was still a “battle” between coach Park Hang-seo and Mr. Al Ghazali. U.23 Iraq had better control of the ball (57%), but U.23 Vietnam was the one who had the most shots in the first half (5 times). The score of 1-1 after the first 45 minutes somewhat satisfied both teams.

The second half took place with the initiative belonging to the boys of West Asia. However, Bui Tien Dung, with his high performance, and his teammates helped U.23 Vietnam stand firm against the opponent’s great pressure.

U.23 Iraq had 3 more dangerous situations but nothing happened to Bui Tien Dung – the goalkeeper who successfully blocked 100% of his opponent’s shots in the last 2 matches of the group stage. In attack, if they are more disciplined than Cong Phuong, Phan Van Duc can also help U.23 Vietnam score a second goal.

Extra time is the highlight!

Unable to resolve in 90 minutes, the quarterfinal match between U.23 Vietnam and U.23 Iraq in 2018 had to go into extra time. Here, the unthinkable scenario really happened when each team had 2 more goals.

Just 4 minutes after extra time began, Hussein completed a double, bringing Iraq U.23 to a 2-1 lead. This score is also maintained until the first overtime period ends. The physical strength of Mr. Park Hang-seo’s students decreased, Vietnamese fans regretted because everyone thought the journey would probably end.

However, right at a difficult moment, “little star” Phan Van Duc suddenly flashed, seizing the opportunity to equalize the score 2-2 from a messy ball situation in the 108th minute. Continuing the excitement, Ha Duc Chinh Bang scored a beautiful header in the 112th minute, helping U.23 Vietnam lead 3-2 in excitement.

Surprised by the strong rise of U.23 Vietnam, U.23 Iraq proved that it was no coincidence that they won the top spot in Group D. Taking advantage of the negligence of Vietnam’s U.23 defense, Mhawi weighed in. equaling the score 3-3 in the 117th minute, causing the match to go into extra time.

In the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung once again demonstrated his ability to catch captain Resan’s shot. His excellence contributed to helping his teammates gain more confidence. All 5 11m goals of U.23 Vietnam were successfully executed.

Notably, in the 5th shot, another player named Bui Tien Dung also “finished” the quarterfinal match. Viettel The Cong’s midfielder revealed the difficult reason for being selected: “When I lined up for the penalty shootout with Iraq U.23, a member of the coaching staff asked me if I wanted to play. I asked team captain Xuan Truong: “No one plays anymore, sir?”. Xuan Truong replied: “You kick it!” and I decided to volunteer to take the penalty kick. When the country calls, we must go.”

U.23 Vietnam defeated U.23 Iraq, reaching the semi-finals of U.23 Asia for the first time in history. After that quarter-final match, fans “dreamed” more about the miracles of “Golden Star Warriors”. And not to disappoint everyone, this stepping stone helps U.23 Vietnam play confidently and reach the finals. As of 2024, the runner-up position in 2018 of U.23 Vietnam is also the best achievement that representatives of Southeast Asia can create.

After many years, the quarterfinal match between U.23 Vietnam and U.23 Iraq will recur in Qatar on April 27. The position, strength and performance of the two teams are now very different. But certainly, U.23 Vietnam’s determination to once again defeat strong opponents and reach the semi-finals will never change!