AFF Cup: U19 Vietnam 2 - 3 U19 Japan

Both sides played slowly at the start of the game, and Japanese defenders and midfielders worked a bit hard to resist attacks from Vietnamese strikers and midfielders.

The visiting players took advantage of long-range shots on the left and created several scoring chances.

However, host players first threatened Japanese goalie Nakamura Kosuke on 13 minutes when midfielder Tien Dung's header travelled past the horizontal bar.

With strong support from home fans, coach Graechen's men looked comfortable pressing their Japanese rivals to play back in their home turf.

In a sudden counterattack on 21 minutes, captain Cong Phuong, Van Long and Van Toan teamed up and made a pass for Van Toan to beat Nakamura Kosuke.

Japanese players produced attacks on both wings, hoping to equalize the scoring. And their offensive tactic forced Vietnamese defenders and goalkeeper Minh Toan to show their all-out efforts to repel till the end of the first half.

Twelve minutes into the second half, U19 Japanese players produced long shots and Yosuke succeeded in hammering in from a 30-m shot.

Keeping a cool head, Vietnamese strikers Cong Phuong and Van Toan performed well, testing Nakamura Kosuke's skills. Receiving a swift pass from Van Toan on 62 minutes, Cong Phuong dribbled the ball on the right, facing Kosuke, but he was refused by a Japanese defender' clearance.

Ten minutes later it was Cong Phuong again, who ran past four Japanese players and faced Kosuke, but the ball was palmed away.

U19 Japan scored two more goals in just four minutes and U19 Vietnam narrowed the score from a penalty kick when the match was one minute to go.

Losing 2-3 to Japan, Vietnam came in second in group B and will take on Group A winners Myanmar in the semi-finals.

(Source: VOV News)