A late goal from Nguyen Quang Hai was enough to seal victory and lift Vietnam to the top of Group B, with two matches left and a great chance to progress to the semifinals.
Vietnam dominated the first half, holding onto 75% of possession and registering 18 shots on keeper Cahya Supriadi's goal. But the shot that made the difference came in the 77th minute, from the player that everybody was counting on to break the deadlock.
From an attack on the right wing, the ball reached Quang Hai near the six yard box. Vietnam's maestro immediately fired a left-footed volley that crashed off the crossbar.
The ball rebounded to Nguyen Tien Linh, and Linh trapped it for Quang Hai who never gave up his chase. Another powerful left foot shot was placed straight at Cahya, who let the ball go through his arms and into the back of the net.
Thanks to this result, Vietnam now lead Group B with six points, ahead of Indonesia, who have four. A win over Philippines on December 18, who earlier drew 1-1 with Laos, will secure a spot for the Golden Star Warriors in the semifinals of the 2024 ASEAN Cup.
