AFF Futsal Championship 2024: Vietnam stun Timor Leste in opener

Just four minutes into the game, Nhan Gia Hung opened the scoring with a close-range finish, putting Vietnam ahead.

It seemed that the opening goal would help Vietnam maintain their scoring advantage against weaker opponents, but they were unable to capitalize further during the remainder of the first half.

Not only that, at the beginning of the second half, Coach Diego Giustozzi’s team conceded an equalizer by a Timor Leste player’s close-range finish.

Giustozzi asked his players to launch a strong offensive, instead of settling for a draw against the opponents.

Vietnamese players’ efforts paid off in the end, as they scored three more goals in the 25th, 36th and 40th minutes.

Vietnam are playing in Group A alongside Timor Leste, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand.

They are scheduled to take on Malaysia on November 4, Brunei on November 5 and hosts Thailand on November 6.

Group B sees Indonesia to encounter Myanmar, Australia and Cambodia.

The 2024 AFF Futsal Championship is taking place from November 2 to 10 in Thailand. The teams will compete in a round-robin format to accumulate points for ranking, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.