Beating Syria 1-0 in the Asian Games (ASIAD) 2018 quarterfinal on August 27, the team secured a spot in the men’s semi-final.
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Head coach of the Vietnam Olympic football team Park Hang-seo giving a hug to Nguyen Van Toan after the team’s 1-0 win over Syria in the quarter-final at ASIAD 2018 on August 27. |
“They have done it again”, Fox Sports Asia posted on its Facebook page minutes after Vietnam’s win over the Middle East country.
On its website, Fox Sports Asia complimented Nguyen Van Toan’s goal while extolling a long ball from defender Bui Tien Dung which gave Nguyen Anh Duc a glorious chance. Although Duc’s deft flick came back off the bar, substitute Toan “was perfectly placed to finish into the unguarded net”.
It also said that taking on the Republic of Korea (RoK), who had 14 goals in four games, is another “tough test” awaiting Park Hang-seo’s team.
Headlined “Super sub Van Toan strikes to take Vietnam through”, the piece on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s home page said that Syria had the lion’s share of possession and tested Vietnamese goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung many times. However, with a “solid defence”, the Vietnamese players kept both teams searching for goals.
The article also highlighted Park’s efficient tactics, which helped the team advance to the quarter-finals without conceding a single goal.
Vietnam’s football team also gained attention from Korean media via images of the squad, coach Park Hang-seo, and fans across Vietnam storming the streets to celebrate victory over Syria.
KBS news described the jubilant atmosphere of Vietnam’s streets which were turned into festivals by fans. Hundreds of motorbikes and national flags appeared on the streets to celebrate Vietnam’s maiden Asian Games semi-final, it said.
Meanwhile, Yonhap News wrote “Vietnam football coach Park Hang-seo found himself in an awkward position after his side beat Syria 1-0 in their quarter-final match at the 18th Asian Games on Monday”, referencing the fact his side next take on his home country of the RoK in the semi-final on August 29.
Source: VNA