Vietnam beat Philippines to boost chances of advancing at 20th Asian Games

Vietnam controlled the game from the outset, dominating midfield and keeping the Philippines pinned back for much of the first half.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh’s side enjoyed 72 percent possession before the break, while the Philippines did not manage their first attempt toward Cao Van Binh’s goal until the 42nd minute.

Despite their dominance, Vietnam struggled to turn possession into goals, with the first half ending 0-0.

Vietnam remained in control after the break, patiently moving the ball around in search of a way through the Philippines’ packed defense.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute when Duc Anh threaded a pass through the defense for Thanh Nhan, who burst past two opponents before lifting a neat finish over the goalkeeper.

The goal gave Vietnam greater confidence, while the Philippines pushed forward in search of an equalizer and began leaving spaces at the back.

Vietnam took advantage in the 87th minute. Le Phat raced onto a teammate’s pass and fired a powerful effort against the crossbar before reacting fastest to head home the rebound and make it 2-0.

The Philippines were unable to respond in the remaining minutes, allowing Vietnam to close out the victory.

The win lifted Vietnam to four points from two matches, temporarily putting them top of Group C.

Uzbekistan sit second with three points from one match, followed by Kuwait with one point from one game. The Philippines are bottom of the group with no points after two defeats and have been eliminated.