Coach Park Hang-seo (centre) and Vietnam team win the ticket for the 2019 Asian Cup finals after the 0-0 clash with Afghanistan at My Dinh Stadium on November 14, 2017. (Credit: vietnamnet.vn)

Drawing 0-0 with the West Asian team at My Dinh Stadium was enough for the hosts to secure a ticket to the finals slated for UAE early 2019. After five matches played, Vietnam had nine points, ranked second in Group C after Jordan, who beat Cambodia 1-0 the same day to top the table with 11 points. Afghanistan and Cambodia were eliminated with 3 points each, even the qualification stage still has one match to play.

Vietnam faced much challenges as the team had not much time to prepare for the Tuesday match, while the guests are better in bodybuilding and physical strength. In a must-win situation to gain points for the next round, Afghanistan showed that they are not easy to conquer.

Afghan players used long passes from two wings for strikers to make header and they seemed to skillfully applying this tactic right from the first minutes. Without excellent save from goalie Tuan Manh, Vietnam could concede a goal in the 8th minute after Farshad Noor's header.

Manh was the best on Vietnamese side this match as he played concentrated and continuously blocked the guests’ attacks. However, Manh’s teammates were faded on their attacks and seemed to lack measures to find the way to goalkeeper Hamidullah Wakili’s net.

Vietnam (in red) face much challenges in the game against tall and strong West Asian players. (Credit: vietnamnet.vn)

After the first half ending in a 0-0 result, the game had nothing to change compared to the first 45 minutes, as Vietnam still maintained counterattack, while Afghanistan constantly delivered long balls into the penalty area.

The simple tactic however caused many difficulties for Vietnamese players as they were unable to catch up with the guests especially in the late minutes due to decrease in physical strength.

Although Vietnam had increased pressure and speed, the lack of breakthrough in the midfield was one of the reasons why Park’s team could not break Afghanistan’s defensive line.

Completely behind Afghanistan in terms of bodybuilding, the paradox was that the best chance by the red-shirt team in the second half came from a long ball with a header. In the 69th minute, Van Hoan delivered the ball right to Anh Duc’s position in the penalty area but the Becamex Binh Duong striker’s finished forced the ball come over the bar.

Towards the end of the game, Vietnam showed more weaknesses compared with their opponents’ physical strength. Mistakes and gaps in the hosts’ defensive line constantly unfold. Afghanistan had the real chance to win the full three points but they also lacked the luck when Amiri's header in the 85th minute hit the post.

The 0-0 result remained until the final whistle. Vietnam were not able to win on the debut day of Park Hang-seo. However, one point is enough for the team to book a berth in the 2019 Asian Cup finals. In their last match of the qualification round, Vietnam will play Jordan on March 27 next year for the group’s top position place.

Lines-up:

VIETNAM: Tuan Manh, Ngoc Thinh, Tien Dung (Duy Manh 26'), Van Hoan, Van Hau, Huy Hung, Xuan Truong, Van Quyet, Thanh Trung (Quang Hai 79'), Cong Phuong (Van Toan 61'), Anh Duc.

AFGHANISTAN: Hamidullah Wakili, Hassan Amin, Milad Intezar, Sahrif Mohammad, Abassin Alikhil, Haroon Fakhirudin, Noraollah Amiri (Khaibar Amani 73'), Farshad Noor, Faysal Sahyesteh (Omid Popalzay 62'), Zubayr Amiri, Milad Salem.

2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification table raking