In the first leg of the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup, Vietnam beat Nepal 3-1, but in the second leg on the evening of October 14, they only won 1-0 after Suman Shrestha scored an own goal. According to striker Nguyen Tien Linh, the field conditions prevented Vietnam from playing as they wanted.

"Before the match, it rained heavily, affecting the pitch and the playing style of both teams. The Vietnamese team created many opportunities but could not score because the pitch conditions were not good, there were puddles of water slowing down the speed of the ball.

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Tien Linh plays deadlocked. Photo: Huu Ha

However, the team tried hard and won 3 points. This victory is dedicated to the fans, who did not mind the rain to come to the stadium to cheer for the Vietnamese team," said Tien Linh.

Speaking after the match, coach Kim Sang Sik also admitted that the slippery field made it difficult for the Vietnamese team to achieve their goals.

Regarding the presence of some young players in the Vietnamese team, Tien Linh said: "This is a reward for the efforts of the young players in the past time. They showed their desire to contribute when wearing the national team shirt. In the future, you still have many more tournaments. I hope the young players continue to try and play well for the team."

Despite a hard-fought victory over Nepal, the Vietnamese team has completed the goal of winning 6 full points. In the November training session, the Vietnamese team will have a match with Laos, after which coach Kim Sang Sik will lead the U23 Vietnam team to participate in the 33rd SEA Games and the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

Highlights Vietnam 1-0 Nepal (source: VTV):

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tien-linh-noi-ro-ly-do-tuyen-viet-nam-thang-nhoc-nepal-2452759.html