JAKARTA, KOMPAS.TV – The Vietnam national futsal team managed to record a narrow victory in a fierce match against Kuwait in the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup Group B match.
The match between the two teams was held at the Jakarta International Velodrome, Tuesday (27/1/2026).
Having been two goals behind at the start of the match, the Southeast Asian representative showed resilience to come back ahead and secure full points.
Kuwait immediately launched an offensive initiative from the kick-off. Vietnam goalkeeper Pham Van Tu was made to work hard in the second minute by making a close-range save from Abdullah Thamer’s chance.
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Not long after, the Kuwaiti captain, Saleh Alfadhel, fired a shot from outside the penalty area that still missed the target.
Pham’s neat performance was seen again in the sixth minute when he parried Salman Albaeijan’s hard kick.
However, one minute later, Vietnam’s goal was finally broken after Abdullah Thamer took advantage of a defensive error and fired a hard shot into the top corner of the goal.
Kuwait doubled their lead in the ninth minute. Abdul Borashed, who received a loose ball outside the penalty area, immediately grabbed it with a low kick which Pham Van Tu failed to anticipate.
Vietnam responded two minutes later. Chau Doan Phat managed to snatch the ball from Alfadhel’s possession and shot past goalkeeper Fahad Alkhawari.
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The score was level again in the 16th minute after Nguyen Thinh Phat took a spectacular action by receiving the ball with his back to the goal, he turned around and fired a shot into the top right corner.
Towards the end of the first half, Kuwait took the lead again through Omar’s goal. However, Vietnam managed to reply just seconds before halftime through Nguyen Manh Dung’s goal, so the first half ended with the score 3-3.
Entering the second half, Vietnam took control of the game. Fahad Alkhawari had to fall up and down to save Kuwait’s goal from attacks by Vu Ngoc Anh and Nguyen Da Hai. The pressure continued until Duong Ngoc Linh’s shot hit the goal post.
Momentum for Vietnam’s revival occurred when Tu Minh Quang’s shot failed to be captured perfectly by Alkhawari, causing the ball to come loose and roll into the goal.
The team captain, Manh Dung, then widened the gap to 5-3 with a final finish from a set piece.
Kuwait reduced the deficit to 5-4 through AbdulAziz Alsarraj’s goal two minutes before the match ended.
However, until the final whistle sounded, Kuwait failed to score an equalizer.
