In the Asian Games game on 18 September 2026, Vietnam U23 beat Philippines U23 0:2. Match numbers: shots on target 2:8, corners 2:7.
Match report
Vietnam U23 defeated the Philippines 2-0 in the Asian Games group stage second round on Thursday. The visitors took control in the final quarter-hour, scoring twice to complete a clean sweep of the opening fixtures.
Nguyen Thanh Nhan broke the deadlock in the 74th minute before Nguyen Le Phat added a second in the 87th. The goals came after a series of substitutions that reshaped both sides, with Vietnam making changes to their attacking options while the hosts struggled to find a response.
The statistics told a familiar story of dominance without conversion. Vietnam registered 87 attacks against 58 and took seven corners to two, yet their shot accuracy of 0.57 proved more decisive than the Philippines' 0.33. Both sides held possession at 0.5, but the visitors converted their territorial advantage into goals when it mattered.
The result moved Vietnam to second place in the group with one point from a draw, while the Philippines remain bottom of the table after two defeats. The hosts have now lost both opening games, including a heavy 5-1 defeat to Uzbekistan earlier this month, and face an uphill battle to stay in contention.
Vietnam's recent form has been mixed, with draws against Kuwait and North Korea alongside losses to China and Thailand. A victory over the Philippines provides momentum as the group stage progresses, though the margin of success suggests there is still work to be done.
Prepared from match data
Key numbers
Possession, %50–50
Shots on target2–8
Shots off target3–6
Attacks58–87
HT⇄59' Nguyen Quoc Viet — Substitution⇄63' E. Smith — Substitution⇄73' J. Rosquillo — Substitution⇄73' G. Guimaraes — Substitution⚽74' Nguyen Thanh Nhan — Goal⇄75' Q. C. Nguyen Thai — Substitution⇄75' Nguyen Thanh Nhan — Substitution⇄83' J. Lucero — Substitution⇄83' A. R. Teves Aldeguer — Substitution⚽87' Nguyen Le Phat — Goal
0'45'90'
Match events
59'0:0Vietnam U23⇄SubstitutionNguyen Quoc Viet off: Le Van Thuan
