KUALA LUMPUR – Pre-match favourites Vietnam lived up to expectations by moving into the final of the 2022 Asean Football Federation (AFF Cup) after beating Indonesia 2-0 in their second-leg semifinal at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, last night.
With the win last night, Vietnam moved into the final on a 2-0 aggregate after managing only a goalless draw in the first leg at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta last Friday.
Playing on home turf tonight, Vietnam dominated much of the match and took the lead through Nguyen Tien Linh in the first half and came back from the breather with another goal from Tien Linh.
The match started at a frantic pace as both sides were desperate for a win but with Indonesian strikers leaving their scoring boots at home, Tien Linh turned up at the Indonesian goal-mouth as early as the 3rd minute to finish off a superb cross from Do Hung Dung.
Coach Park Hang Seo’s charges continued to raise the tempo of the game, which was at times littered with minor commotions due to the aggressive style of play from both sides.
However, just like the start of the match, Tien Linh added his tally for the night by heading in another cross just two minutes (47th min) after the break.
The second goal all but took the steam out of Indonesia and dashed any hopes of a fightback.
Vietnam, winners of the title in 2008 and 2018, will face the winner of the match between Malaysia and Thailand tomorrow.
With the loss, Indonesia who have emerged as the runner-up six times before will have to wait for their first AFF Cup victory until the next edition. – The Vibes, January 10, 2022
