Vietnam finish second at King’s Cup after penalty loss to Curacao
Saturday, June 08, 2019, 23:06 GMT+7
Vietnam finished the four-team King’s Cup 2019 as runners-up after losing 4-5 on penalty kicks to Curacao in the final game in Buriram, Thailand on Saturday night.
Curacao, which stand at the 82nd spot on FIFA ranking, entered the final match after defeating India 3-1, while Vietnam, ranked 98th, beat hosts Thailand 1-0 in their respective openers on Wednesday.
The ranking disparity seemed to matter in this game, as Curacao proved to be tough opponents for the Golden Stars.
The Caribbean team took the lead in the 58th minute with a goal by Alexander Carolina.
Vietnam eventually managed to level the game as midfielder Quang Hai purposely skipped a pass from Van Hau for Duc Huy to finish the ball in the net in the 83rd minute.
No more goals were scored and the two went straight to the penalty shootout, with no extra-time played.
While Curacao did not waste any of their five attempts, star striker Cong Phuong skied his shot above the bar, and Vietnam had to see their opponents lifting the trophy after the 5-4 penalty victory.
Despite the defeat, Vietnam’s participation in the Thai tournament is considered a success, which not only helped the team progress in FIFA World Rankings but also gave them a good preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Earlier on the same day, India beat hosts Thailand 1-0 to claim the third place of the tourney.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
