Vietnam win the AFF Under Under 23 Championship, with Timor-Leste coming third
In the end, all it took was a solitary goal against Thailand for Vietnam to win the AFF Under 23 Championship, with Timor-Leste coming in third after a last-second forfeit from Laos.
To read about the ASEAN Football Federation Under 23 Championship click here.
Vietnam 1 Thailand 0
In a repeat of their final group match, Vietnam again beat their Thai rivals 1-0, but there was much more to the game than the scoreline represents. This was potentially the most entertaining and evenly matched game of the tournament so far.
Despite their eventual loss, it was the War Elephants who came out the stronger team and in the 24th minute, it looked like they had taken the lead through some individual brilliance from striker Thanawut Phochai. After dribbling past two defenders, his amazing shot beat Vietnamese goalkeeper Tuan Hung only to rebound off of the woodwork.
Thailand remained the better team heading into half-time, again getting close in the 37th minute, but it was on the brink of the interval that the game was put to bed. After receiving a corner the Vietnamese swung the ball in and after a bit of a scramble in front of goal, Tran Bao Toan managed to head the ball in, giving Vietnam the lead.
Vietnam came out the stronger side in the second half and could have added a second when Vo Nguyen Hoang rifled a shot from distance only to have it excellently saved, keeping Thailand in the game.
During the last quarter, Thailand threw everything they could at the Vietnamese, but the defence remained strong and the Thais never truly looked close to equalising.
At the final whistle, the fans, the majority of whom were Vietnamese, went crazy, including a pitch invasion, despite the “anti-invasion trench” installed at the ground. The police in fairness took it in their stride, although the sheer mass of people probably made the choice for them. It certainly made you wonder what would have happened had it been Cambodia in the final.
Timor Leste vs Laos – Walkover
This was sadly one of the highlights and indeed one of the most farcical parts of the day. Timor-Leste had been due to face Laos in the third-place match at 4pm, with many Timorese students, Laotians, neutrals, and bemused dignitaries and journalists turning up for the match.
No official announcement was made, but we finally got to hear through the grapevine that the match had been canceled after Laos had withdrawn. There have since been rumours of Covid and the like, but it was awful communication from the AFF and left a lot of people with not much to do in the boonies outside Phnom Penh. Personally, I went to see the North Korean-esque Win-Win Monument and had a chicken burger.
At the very end though it was worth it for the 10 Timorese students that attended, with the team being presented their bronze medals from Ambassador Ermenegildo Lopes. Timor-Leste it should be remembered was the second smallest team in the competition after Brunei, with their 3rd place finish being a record for the country in any footballing competition regardless of age group.
This was a point not missed by the ambassador, who told Khmer Nights that it was “The biggest sporting achievement by our country so far and we are extremely proud”.
They also knocked out hosts Cambodia, sending the home country to an early exit.
To read an interview with the Timor-Leste Ambassador click here.
Was the 2022 AFF Under 23 Championship a success?
From a Cambodian point of view, the Kingdom proved it could host an international tournament, which obviously bodes well for the 2023 SEA Games. The Morodok Techo Stadium was a great venue, although questions still remain regarding transportation to and from the venue, as well as drainage from the pitch itself.
For the AFF, its level of success can be seen as mixed, with two teams dropping out right before the tournament, games canceled, and poor communication with teams and fans. They did though manage an international tournament in a Covid-stricken world and that in itself is no mean feat during these strange times we live in.
From a football point of view, it was an abject failure for the Cambodian team, who failed to qualify from perhaps the easiest group, despite being the host nation. Coach Honda is due to make a press release on Monday morning, which could well mean a changing of the guard.
Now we have the Cambodian Premier League to look forward to, which kicks off on March 5th.
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Author: Leon Havana
A trained chef and sports aficionado with extensive experience across South America and Asia. Leon’s culinary creations celebrate local flavors, while his love for sports like football and boxing connects him with local communities.
