Overcoming host Philippines, Vietnam team has a favorable start in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

In this match, coach Troussier surprised everyone by leaving star midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc and veteran midfielder Do Hung Dung on the bench. 20-year-old midfielder Nguyen Thai Son and captain Tuan Anh formed the central midfield pair of the national team.

Van Thanh, Viet Anh, Thanh Binh, Tuan Tai; above are the two wingers Minh Trong, Van Toan and the striker pair Tuan Hai, Tien Linh. This is the first time Tuan Tai, Minh Trong and Thai Son have played in an official match for the national team.

In the first minutes after the opening whistle, the Vietnamese team encountered many difficulties when the home team, the Philippines, proactively pressed and increased the speed of the ball. In addition, the artificial turf of the Rizal Memorial Stadium also made the long passes of the red-shirt players lack accuracy.

The first scoring opportunity belonged to the home team in the 10th minute, when from a situation where Tuan Anh fought with a Filipino player, the ball fell to Porteria's position on the right side of the Vietnamese penalty area. The American-trained midfielder curled the ball low to the far corner but Van Lam dove to catch it.

Despite the lackluster game, the Vietnamese players opened the scoring. In the 16th minute, from a long pass from Vietnam, the Philippine defender failed to clear the ball. Both Van Toan and Tien Linh rushed in to shoot but missed the ball, but the ball was still in a favorable position for Van Toan to take another step forward and shoot with his left foot from about 10 meters away, sending the ball past Etheridge's foot into the net.

This is Van Toan's 7th goal for the national team, after 56 matches and the first goal of the Nam Dinh Club striker in 2023.

After conceding the goal, the home team Philippines slowed down. The Vietnamese team also did not rush to increase the speed, only passing short passes in the middle of the field.

In that match, the red shirt players had 2 scoring opportunities, both from passes to the left wing.

Minh Trong climbed the left wing and passed back to the second line for Tien Linh to pass back with one touch right at Tuan Hai's volley, but the ball went over the bar.

Six minutes later, Tuan Tai passed the ball to Minh Trong on the left, then advanced near the penalty area, before passing the ball behind the Philippine defense for Van Toan to receive. The Vietnamese striker shot with his left foot towards the far corner but the ball continued to go just over the bar.

1-0 is the score after the end of the first half.

Coach Troussier made two substitutions. Van Quyet replaced Tien Linh, and Ho Van Cuong replaced Van Thanh. The Vietnamese team continued to take the initiative, but the attacking players failed to take advantage of some scoring opportunities, especially striker Tuan Hai.

In the 54th minute, Viet Anh stole the ball from outside the Philippines' penalty area after a corner kick, then passed it inside to Tuan Hai. Striker number 18 turned the ball to his right foot and shot low into the far corner but could not get past goalkeeper Etheridge's hands.

Nearly 10 minutes later, Ho Van Cuong passed the ball down the sideline to Van Toan and then rushed forward, before receiving the ball back from the striker. Van Cuong dribbled the ball close to the penalty area, then crossed for Tuan Hai to rush in and cushion the ball with one touch, but the ball flew too lightly and was caught by Etheridge. The wasted opportunities forced Tuan Hai to leave the field in the 76th minute, making way for young striker Dinh Bac.

In the last 15 minutes of the match, the Vietnamese team's defense played erratically, creating opportunities for the Philippines players to attack very dangerously. In the 77th minute, defender Rublico rose up to receive a long pass over the line to face the goalkeeper, but his shot went just wide of the post.

In the 83rd minute, the home team was awarded a free kick from less than 17 meters away, in the corner of the goal. Schrock and Curran took turns shooting consecutively, but the ball hit the red shirt players' feet.

In the 86th minute, from a cross from the left of the Philippines, the Vietnamese team's defender failed to clear the ball well and let striker Reichelt shoot close to the goal, fortunately the ball went wide of the post.

Unable to take advantage of the equalizer opportunities, the home team Philippines had to pay the price. In the fourth minute of extra time, Thanh Binh passed the ball along the right sideline to Dinh Bac who rushed forward, then dribbled into the center. The 19-year-old midfielder confidently shot from about 18 meters away, sending the ball into the near corner, defeating goalkeeper Etheridge, setting the score at 2-0.

On November 21, the Vietnamese team will return to My Dinh Stadium to welcome Iraq in the second match of the Asian World Cup Qualifiers./.