HÀ NỘI — A second half penalty by naturalised striker Nguyễn Xuân Son and an injury time wonder goal by Tuấn Hải were enough to see Việt Nam ease past Laos in the Group F qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup.

Both goals were scored by substitutes introduced after the break following a goalless first period at the Laos National Stadium in Vientiane

The win means Việt Nam stay in second place in Group F with 12 points, three behind leaders Malaysia.

Qualification boils down to the final match, when Việt Nam not only have to beat Malaysia, but do so by a convincing margin as their rivals have a far greater goal difference. 

From the opening whistle, Việt Nam adopted an aggressive formation and asserted their control.

But despite dominating possession, coach Kim Sang-sik's team struggled to break through the solid Laos defence.

In the 20th minute, Văn Vĩ seized an opportunity on the left wing, delivering a pinpoint pass to Hoàng Đức who fired over the crossbar.

Ten minutes later, Việt Nam almost opened the scoring when Cao Pendant Quang Vinh laid on Tiến Linh but from close range his powerful strike went over the bar, leaving his teammates visibly frustrated.

Việt Nam continued to apply pressure with the most notable chance coming in the 36th minute when Hoàng Đức made a breakthrough, but his narrow-angle shot failed to trouble the Lao goalkeeper and the first half ended goalless.

After the break, coach Kim boosted his attack by introducing Tuấn Hải and naturalised striker Nguyễn Xuân Son - the Brazilian-born forward returning after nearly a year on the sidelines following an injury during the ASEAN Cup 2024. 

In the 60th minute, Hoàng Đức ignited another attack, passing to Xuân Son to create a one-on-one opportunity for Tuấn Hải but luck was not on Hải's side and his shot hit the crossbar.

The turning point came in the 68th minute when Việt Nam were awarded a penalty after a Lao defender handled the ball in the box.

From the penalty spot, Xuân Son made no mistake, scoring decisively to give Việt Nam a 1-0 lead.

This goal made him the first naturalised player in history to score for Việt Nam in an Asian Cup qualifier - a remarkable achievement, particularly after he also made history as the first naturalised player to score for the national team at the ASEAN Cup 2024.

Following the opening goal, Việt Nam struggled to maintain their attacking momentum and found themselves on the back foot.

Thanks to a solid display from the central defenders and support from strikers like Tuấn Hải, goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm was kept from facing any serious threats.

In the third minute of injury time, Việt Nam secured a second goal through Tuấn Hải. Following a cross from Tiến Anh, the Lao goalkeeper mishandled the ball, leading to a stunning overhead kick that sealed the match with a final score of 2-0.

The final game of Group F will take place on March 31, 2026, when Việt Nam face Malaysia in a decisive showdown that will determine qualification for the next round. - VNS