Vietnam secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Philippines in their opening Group B match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 division one tournament, played at Stadion Si Jalak Harupat in Soreang, Kabupaten Bandung, on Saturday, September 26, 2026. A 25th-minute strike from Nguyen Dinh Bac decided the regional fixture, lifting The Golden Star Warriors to three points in the standings alongside group leaders Thailand.
The match began as an open contest with both sides exchanging early attacks. Tien Anh Truong initiated the first real threat for Vietnam, but his effort was gathered by Michael Falkesgaard. The Azkals responded quickly through attempts from Andre Leipold and Bjorn Kristensen, though neither bore fruit.
The decisive breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute. Williams Minh Hoang drove down the right side of the penalty area and delivered a cross that deflected off a Philippines defender. The loose ball dropped to Nguyen Dinh Bac right in front of goal, and he steered his shot past the keeper to put Vietnam ahead.
Trailing at the interval, the Philippines emerged from the dressing room with sustained offensive pressure in search of an equalizer. Paul Tabinas created a scoring chance early in the second half, but his attempt was neutralized by Patrik Le Giang.
The Azkals thought they had leveled the score in the 82nd minute when Sandro Reyes maneuvered down the right flank of the penalty area. Reyes threaded a cross toward the goalmouth that found Kenji Nishioka, whose touch beat Le Giang. However, VAR intervened, ruling the goal out for offside.
The Philippines continued to press. Sebastian Rasmussen found himself free in front of goal with an opportunity to equalize with a header, but Le Giang produced a diving save, flying to parry the ball away.
Vietnam successfully managed the closing moments to preserve their advantage until the final whistle. The 1-0 result places Vietnam second in Group B with three points, tied with Thailand, who hold the top spot on goal difference. The Philippines sit third in the group standings above Pakistan.
Match Lineups
Vietnam starting XI: Lineup features Le Giang Patrik, Tien Anh Truong, Adou Minh, Viet Anh, Xuan Manh, Quang Vinh, Thanh Long, Minh Hoang, Dinh Bac, Xuan Son, and Hoang Hen.
Philippines starting XI: The team consists of Falkesgaard, Paul Tabinas, Jasper Nyholm, Jefferson Tabinas, Aguinaldo, Rendy Schneider, Zico Bailey, Manny Ott, Andre Leipold, Gayoso, and Kristensen.
Vietnam will return to action in Group B play on September 29, 2026, facing Thailand in a fixture at the same venue in Bandung.
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