The team dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities but failed to convert their early dominance into goals. Viet Nam even fell behind in the 22nd minute as the Philippines fired inside the penalty box following a powerful throw-in and beat the Vietnamese goalkeeper.
Just six minutes later, after an initial header hit the post, mid-fielder Dinh Bac pounced on the rebound to level the score.
The second half began with Viet Nam appearing unsettled but they then regained control and found the breakthrough in the 54th minute. From a high ball into the box, Cong Phuong’s header struck the crossbar, and Xuan Bac was perfectly positioned to nod in the rebound, giving Viet Nam a 2-1 lead.
With the victory, the quad will face the winner of the other semifinal between Thailand and host nation Indonesia on July 29.
