Bangkok, 18 December 2025 – Despite trailing by two goals against host U22 Thailand, U22 Vietnam showed remarkable resilience to stage a dramatic 3-2 comeback and clinch the men’s football gold medal at SEA Games 33.
Playing at the Rajamangala Stadium, U22 Thailand enjoyed a strong start thanks to home advantage. Just two minutes into the match, Ratree Seksan fired the first dangerous shot, signaling the hosts’ attacking intent. U22 Vietnam gradually found their rhythm and the game became more balanced, but a defensive mistake proved costly in the 20th minute. Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong committed a foul just outside the penalty area, allowing Yotsakon Burapha to curl a precise free kick into the right corner, beating goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien to open the scoring.
Vietnam were forced to push higher up the pitch in search of an equalizer, leaving space for Thailand to exploit. In the 31st minute, Seksan burst down the right flank and finished with a low shot beyond Trung Kien, doubling the advantage for the hosts. Thailand went into the break with a commanding 2-0 lead.
At the start of the second half, head coach Kim Sang-sik made decisive changes, introducing Le Van Thuan and Nguyen Thanh Nhan as U22 Vietnam adopted an all-out attacking approach. The impact was immediate. In the 49th minute, Nguyen Dinh Bac raced onto a clever through ball and was fouled by goalkeeper Sorawat inside the penalty area. Bac calmly converted the resulting spot kick to reduce the deficit to 1-2.
Buoyed by the goal, Vietnam continued to apply intense pressure and were rewarded again in the 60th minute. From a corner delivered by Van Thuan, Pham Ly Duc and Nguyen Hieu Minh challenged strongly in the air, creating confusion that led to Waris turning the ball into his own net, leveling the score at 2-2. Momentum was firmly with Vietnam, and in the 71st minute Hieu Minh came close to completing the turnaround when his header struck the post.
Despite creating several more chances, Vietnam were unable to find a winner in regulation time, and the match went into extra time. Six minutes into the first period of extra time, U22 Vietnam finally took the lead. Nguyen Thai Son played the ball through for Van Thuan, whose low shot was parried by Sorawat, allowing Thanh Nhan to react quickest and fire home the rebound to make it 3-2.
In the remaining minutes, U22 Thailand threw numbers forward in search of an equalizer, forcing Vietnam to defend deep. However, a well-organized defensive display led by goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien ensured that Vietnam held firm until the final whistle. The dramatic 3-2 victory sealed an emotional SEA Games 33 gold medal for U22 Vietnam, completing a memorable comeback on Thai soil.
Hong Phuc – Thanh Trang
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