Fielding a rejuvenated squad and having lost both recent warm-up matches against Afghanistan, Vietnam were expected to face a tough challenge, and were quickly put under pressure as Kuwait capitalised on defensive errors to take a 2-0 lead before moving ahead 3-2 in the first half.

Vietnam responded with resilience, as goals from Chau Doan Phat, Thinh Phat and Manh Dung saw the Southeast Asian side draw level at 3-3 before halftime.

The second half was more tightly contested, with Kuwait gradually tiring while Vietnam enjoyed greater control of possession. Minh Quang and Manh Dung then struck to put Vietnam 5-3 ahead.

Kuwait pulled one goal back late through a power-play strategy, but Vietnam held on to secure a narrow 5-4 victory.

The result places Vietnam second in Group B after the opening round. Earlier, Thailand defeated Lebanon 2-0 to take top spot.

Coach Diego Giustozzi said his Vietnamese side’s experience and mentality proved decisive in the 5-4 comeback win over Kuwait. He also acknowledged shortcomings in the opening half of the match.

“In the first half we were not comfortable with the pitch and the ball and needed time to settle,” Giustozzi said. “The second half was perfect because the team played according to our futsal identity. It was a very difficult match, but we managed to win.”

Giustozzi noted that eight players are playing at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals for the first time and said the team needs more matches at this level to gain experience.

Looking ahead, he said Lebanon would present a different challenge, but added: “The objective remains the same — to get another three points.”

Vietnam are scheduled to face Lebanon at 1300 (local time) on January 29, and Giustozzi admitted that Lebanon would present a different challenge, but said his team aim to get another three points.

The 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup features 16 teams divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. While this year’s tournament does not offer qualification places for the FIFA Futsal World Cup, it is regarded as one of Asia’s highest-level futsal competitions.

Nguyen Thinh Phat among AFC’s players to watch at Futsal Asian Cup 2026

VOV.VN - Nguyen Thinh Phat, winner of the Vietnam Futsal Golden Ball 2024, has been named by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as one of the players to watch at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 finals.