The match was delayed by 30 minutes due to heavy rain, which left the pitch slippery and significantly affected the quality of play.

Just three minutes in, Vietnam’s defence made an early mistake, allowing Manish Dangi to break through and face goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien, but puddles in front of goal prevented him from taking a shot.

Three minutes later, from a corner kick, defender Hieu Minh rose high to head the ball, which deflected off a Nepalese defender and went into the net, giving Vietnam the lead.

Afterward, Tien Linh and Van Vi had several chances to extend the lead, but their efforts either went wide or struck the woodwork.

In the second half, coach Kim Sang-sik’s men continued to dominate and created several scoring opportunities. Duy Manh, Dinh Bac, and Duc Chien all tried their luck, but the Nepalese goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong stood firm. On the other side, Nepal pushed forward in the final minutes but failed to capitalise on their chances.

The match ended 1-0 in favour of Vietnam. Despite the narrow win, Vietnam maintained their second-place position in Group F, trailing Malaysia by three points. In the next fixture this November, Vietnam will face Laos before the decisive clash with Malaysia in March 2026.

Head coach Kim Sang-sik admitted after the match that the poor pitch conditions had affected Vietnam’s performance, preventing the team from executing their game plan as intended. Despite the challenges, he emphasised that the most important thing was the victory, which meant the team had met its main objective.

Kim also acknowledged that Vietnam failed to score more goals and some players appeared too hurried in the final plays. In the second half, he said, fatigue set in for several players, which caused the team’s overall performance to dip below expectations.

Meanwhile, Nepal’s head coach Salyan Khadgi praised his players for their disciplined and spirited performance against Vietnam. He shared that the Nepalese team followed the tactical plan set by the coaching staff and showed great resilience in the second half despite facing stronger opponents.

Although Nepal did not win, the players gave their all on the pitch, competing with heart and determination throughout the match, he said.

Vietnam clinches 3-1 win over Nepal in Group F of 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers

VOV.VN - Vietnam secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Nepal in their 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match on the evening of October 9 at Go Dau Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.