Vietnam team stopped at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, after losing to Iraq

On the morning of June 12, the Vietnamese team faced the Iraqi team in the final match of Group F, the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia.

The Iraqi team showed their superior strength in Group F when they won all 5 matches, earning 15 points and soon got a ticket to the 3rd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia. In this match, playing at home, with the cheers of thousands of fans, coach Jesus Casas' team continued to show confidence against the Vietnamese team.

In the first minutes, both teams did not hesitate to launch open attacks. In the 10th minute, the Vietnamese team had their first sharp attack, Van Thanh advanced, exploiting the space when the opponent's defense was pulled to the left.

However, an Iraqi player managed to retreat and block the ball. The Vietnamese team attempted the same move twice but failed. Notably, these were all direct moves with the fewest passes possible. This can be considered a positive change for the Vietnamese team.

After 13 minutes of play, player Hussein Ali suddenly shot from a distance about 30m away from the goal, surprising Nguyen Filip and making him unable to react. The ball went into the net to the astonishment of all the players of the Vietnamese team.

In the 17th minute, the referee judged that goalkeeper Nguyen Filip had fouled the opposing team's player and awarded a penalty. Fortunately, Mohanad Ali fooled Nguyen Filip but his shot went wide.

Luckily escaping defeat, the Vietnamese team gradually regained control of the game. In the 41st minute, from Duc Chien's pass to the right wing, Van Thanh escaped to face the Iraqi goalkeeper but his shot missed the post. 1-0 was also the score of the first half.

In the second half, coach Kim Sang Sik made many substitutions. The Vietnamese team's attack was more positive, but could not penetrate the home team's concentrated defense.

While the equalizer had not yet come, the Vietnamese team conceded another goal in the 71st minute, after a decisive dribble and shot by young talent Ali Jasim.

With a spirit of dedication, the Vietnamese team actively controlled the ball and attacked. The result came in the 82nd minute, from a long pass, Tuan Hai took advantage of the opportunity to shoot from a long distance, making it impossible for the Iraqi goalkeeper to block, shortening the score to 1-2.

However, in the first minute of extra time, main striker Hussein was in the right place at the right time to finish from close range after the ball bounced off the post, sealing a 3-1 victory for host Iraq.

At the end of Group F of the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia, the Vietnamese team ranked third with 6 points/6 matches and officially said goodbye to the World Cup dream./.