The host Vietnam lost 3-2 to Japan in the last match today of group B of the under-19 football tournament Nutifood Cup held in Hanoi from September 5-13. Yet, the host still wins a spot to play with Myanmar in the semifinals.
Striker Van Toan opened the score for Vietnam in the 21st minute.
After a series of short and fast passes in front of the Japan box, Van Toan in a favorable position turned round and blasted a powerful shot at a distance of 20 meters to the far corner of the goal frame and beat Japanese goalkeeper Nakamura Kosuke.
Earlier, the goal frame of Vietnam was challenged by a dangerous attack of Japan. However, Japanese striker Ochi Yamoto shot the ball wide.
In the second half, Japan scored three goals before Vietnam shortened the gap to 3-2 thanks to a penalty kick in the 89th minute.
Both Japan and Vietnam launched dangerous attacks towards each other in the second half of the match. At the 48th minute, Japanese midfielder Okugawa Masaya received the ball and sped up to leave behind Vietnamese defenders. However, the Japanese player couldn’t win keeper Minh Toan.
Four minutes later, Ochi Yamato from the right side made a cross in front of the Vietnamese box. Masaya sped up and shot the ball onto the goal post.
At the 58th minute, Japan successfully leveled it 1-1 following a simple attack. From the midfield, Japanese striker Ideguchi Yosuke dribbled the ball towards the Vietnamese goal and made a shot at the distance of 30 meters. The ball flew into the far corner of Vietnam goal.
At the 84th minute, Nakano Masaomi lifted to 2-1 for Japan after crossing a diving shot into the Vietnamese goal.
Three minutes later, Japan had a counter attack from the midfield and Kaneko Shota extended the gap to 3-1.
At the 89th minute, Van Toan was tackled in the box and Vietnam was awarded a penalty shot. Cong Phuong shortened the arrears for Vietnam to 2-3.
So, Vietnam as the second-ranked team in group B will encounter group A leader Myanmar, who crushed Indonesia 3-0 today, in the semifinals.
The second-ranked Thailand will face Japan in the last-four round.
The tournament is actually a training chance for the six teams, who all have won spots in the final round of the 2014 Asian U-19 Football Championship to be organized in Myanmar from October 9 to 23. The six teams include Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar in group A; and Japan, Australia, and Vietnam in group B.
At the Asian event to feature 16 teams in Myanmar, Vietnam will play in group C against Japan, South Korea, and China. Vietnam targets to top their group to automatically secure one of the four direct tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be held in New Zealand between May 30 and June 20, 2015.
The Vietnamese U-19 national team includes most trainees from the Hoang Anh Gia Lai – Arsenal JMG football academy, based in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. They have completed six out of seven years of their training program at the Arsenal-supported football academy, which was established in 2007.
Source Tuoitre
