Vietnam are set to become the first South-East Asian side to take to the pitch for the knockout stage of the 2018 Asian Games as they take on Bahrain on Thursday night. After finishing the group with a hundred per cent record and clean sheets in all of their matches, the AFC U23 Championship runners-up can take pride in their achievements so far.
An impressive 1-0 victory over Japan on the final round of group games was particularly impressive, showing the quality of this side after two wins against admittedly easier opposition in the form of Pakistan and Nepal. With versatile midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai and striker Cong Phuong particularly standing out at this tournament, the South-East Asian outfit will go into their game against Bahrain with considerable confidence.
Their Middle Eastern opposition qualified through the third-place ranking, finishing below Malaysia and South Korea in Group E. Their 6-0 defeat at the hands of South Korea still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, and their 2-1 victory over a second-string Malaysia side on the final day of the group stage doesn’t give an accurate indication of their side’s quality. The winner of this game will face either Syria or Palestine in the quarter-final.
Elsewhere, Son Heung-Min’s South Korea face a stern test when they take on Iran. The sub-plot concerning the Tottenham star’s need for a Gold Medal in order to avoid military service has hung over South Korea’s campaign thus far, adding pressure for the defending Champions to replicate their heroics from 2014, where they won the competition on home soil.
The last of Thursdays’ group games sees Group B winners Uzbekistan, who also finished the group stage with maximum points and zero goals conceded, take on Hong Kong.