Ho Chi Minh City, April 15, 2025 – The Vietnam futsal team fought to a spirited 2-2 draw against Kazakhstan in their second friendly match on April 15 at District 8 Futsal Club Arena. The result capped a productive April for coach Diego Giustozzi’s squad, who finished their four-game friendly series with three wins and one draw, gearing up for the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers and SEA Games 33.
Giustozzi used the match to test youth, handing a debut start to goalkeeper Nguyen Van Luong over veterans Ho Van Y and Nguyen Van Tu. He also fielded a less experienced unit featuring Lam Toi, Dinh Cong Vien, and Nguyen Cong Dai alongside seasoned pivot Nguyen Minh Quang. Kazakhstan, stinging from a 2-1 loss in the first friendly on April 8, came out aggressively, aiming to dominate a reshuffled Vietnam side.
Despite early pressure, Van Luong shone, thwarting Kaibay Damir’s fierce strike in the 7th minute and Abdumanapuly’s tight-angle effort three minutes later. Kazakhstan broke through in the 10th minute when Sagyndyrov rifled a corner-kick shot past Van Luong for 1-0. They doubled their lead in the 12th minute, Pialy finishing a swift counter with an angled drive. Giustozzi responded by introducing Nguyen Van Tu and tightening tactics, stabilizing Vietnam’s defense—even against attacks led by Kazakhstan’s goalkeeper-coach Higuita.
Vietnam struck back in the 16th minute. After clearing a corner, Dinh Cong Vien raced from midfield, outfoxed Higuita one-on-one, and slotted home to make it 1-2. The second half saw Vietnam level the score early. In the 23rd minute, a slick wing play ended with Nguyen Thinh Phat’s backheel setting up Nguyen Manh Dung to tap in for 2-2, thrilling the home crowd.
Neither side found a winner, with Vietnam’s grit—mirroring Hanoi Police FC’s V-League tenacity—holding firm. The draw wrapped up a strong friendly run, including wins over Saudi Arabia (2-1, 3-1) and Uzbekistan (4-2). Giustozzi praised his youngsters, eyeing talents like Cong Vien for The Cong Viettel-style roles. These matches, Vietnam’s first home friendlies since beating Thailand in 2024, lay a solid foundation for their continental and regional ambitions.
Leave a Reply