Vietnam finished Matchday 5 of 2022 World Cup qualifying on top of Group G, taking Thailand’s place after collecting 4 points from their opening 10 games.
Their place on top of the group was sealed when they managed a hard-fought and clinical 1-0 win over the UAE. Nguyen Tien Linh put the side ahead with a rocket from outside the box in the 44th minute, after the visitors’ defender Khalifa Al Hammadi received his marching orders seven minutes earlier.
Meanwhile, former group leaders Thailand faced a hostile atmosphere and torrid conditions at Malaysia’s iconic Bukit Jalil Stadium – a venue where they are still yet to win.
The War Elephants put themselves on track to end that record as early as the seventh minute when rising star Ekanit Panya’s low cross was met by Chanathip Songkrasin in the box. The Consadole Sapporo attacker made no mistake in slotting his first-time finish beyond the goalkeeper to silence the home crowd.
However, ultras Malaya soon had reason to cheer again, as Brendan Gan capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the scoring just short of the half-hour mark.
The hosts’ disciplined pressing in midfield and the torrid conditions upset Akira Nishino’s possession-based side, forcing the Thai defenders to rake long balls into advanced positions and hope for the best. They struggled to break past the Malaysian defense and left themselves more and more exposed in search of another goal.
Heading into the second half, Malaysia firmly established a foot-hold on the game and began to turn the tide in their favor. Gan was once again in the center of the action as the hosts put themselves in front, with his deft chip supplying Mohamadou Sumareh to score a second past Siwarak Tedsungnoen.
The game ended with a whimper for the visitors, who saw their place taken by Vietnam. They sit precariously in second place and are now set to travel to the My Dinh National Stadium. The War Elephants are in need of a point – if not all three – to prevent being overtaken by Malaysia, who host Indonesia in their next game. Meanwhile, a victory for Vietnam in Hanoi will put them in an incredibly strong position going into 2020.