Draw against Japan a major surprise in World Cup qualifiers
VOV.VN - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports, and Southeast Asian supporters have given their compliments to the Vietnam national team after they secured a 1-1 draw against Japan in the March 29 World Cup qualifying match in Saitama.
In a recent meeting held between the world’s football governing body FIFA and the AFC in Qatar, AFC General Secretary Windsor John praised Vietnam’s progresses in the World Cup qualification campaign.
The draw represented the biggest surprise in the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and would be a source of motivation for Southeast Asian teams to strive for in the future, he said.
Also at the meeting members of the AFC congratulated Vietnam on their surprising 1-1 draw away from home against Japan.
They expressed great appreciation for Vietnam’s good result, becoming the only Southeast Asian nation to ever compete in the third round of World Cup qualifiers. Vietnam obtained four points after trouncing China 3-1 and drawing 1-1 against a strong Japan side.
Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports noted that this result is a proud feat for Vietnamese football, and it will be remembered forever.
Many supporters of regional teams such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia gave a big applause for Vietnam after watching the game, stating that head coach Park Hang-seo's team deserved to win a point thanks to their superb resilience.
A Thai supporter said that Vietnam played well defensively and their footballers had discipline throughout the game, leaving him impressed by the draw.
An Indonesian supporter outlined that Vietnam’s opponents were very strong and have done extraordinary things at major tournaments in the past. “It’s amazing that Vietnam stayed firm till the end of the game,” the fan tweeted.
Meanwhile, a Malaysian supporter stressed that this marks Vietnam's best match in the Asian qualifiers, with the national side creating a surprise that not many Southeast Asian teams are capable of.
If there is a Southeast Asian team that can cause sadness to its rivals, it can only be Vietnam, many fans agreed.
The Japan draw is expected to help Vietnam earn two notches up, finishing 96th in the FIFA rankings, maintaining their top position in Southeast Asia and 16th in Asia.
