Vietnam earned their first ever point at an 11-a-side FIFA tournament, picking up a 0-0 draw with New Zealand in Cheonan to begin their FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 campaigns.
Full of energy, fast and frenetic, Vietnam were clearly up for the occasion. They were a constantly buzzing red swarm keeping New Zealand on their toes. This meant the pace of the game was kept high as neither side retained possession for any prolonged period.
However, when the chances did come, the debutants had the better of them. Kiwi keeper Michael Woud was called into action twice in the space of a minute, first denying Van Hou Doan from distance, before scrambling to claw away Quang Hai Nguyen’s cheeky attempt direct from a corner.
After the break Vietnam continued to be the more inspired going forward but their high-energy exploits saw batteries begin to drain and New Zealand begin to find pockets of space higher and higher up the field. As the clock wound down, there was still a chance for Vietnam to snatch a historic win but Hoang Duc Nguyen blazed over as he arrived at the far post.
- Vietnam competing in debut 11-a-side FIFA tournament
- Captain almost scores direct from a corner
- New Zealand survive late scare after taking greater control
-OFC
