Vietnam’s goalkeeper Tan Truong

Vietnam defeated their Malaysian hosts in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw at the Merdeka Cup final in Kuala Lumpur.

It was the second time a team from Vietnam has won the international football tournament organized by Malaysia to celebrate their national day. A team from South Vietnam grabbed the title in 1966.

The Malaysian squad had the advantage of home soil but Vietnam’s U22 team was in high spirits after a hard-fought win over Sierra Leone.

Malaysia took an easy 4-0 victory over Myanmar in the semifinals while Vietnam were exhausted after coming back from two goals down to take the African squad to a penalty shootout. Vietnam won the shootout 3-2.

In the final, the hosts launched relentless and confident attacks against the Vietnamese.

But central defenders Xuan Hop and Minh Duc did not bow to the pressure and goalkeeper Tan Truong stopped all major offensives.

Malaysia created its first opportunity three minutes in from a corner but Truong was calm and swatted away a brilliant strike.

Malaysia had another chance two minutes later with a low shot also defended brilliantly by Truong.

In the seventh minute, the hosts sent the ball to the back of Vietnam’s net, but the referee ruled that shooter Indra Putra was offsides when he received a slot from his teammate.

Vietnam was unlucky when goalie Truong needed medical attention in the eighth minute and striker Tang Tuan was carried off on the stretcher seven minutes later.

But Truong came back for two great saves in the 25th and 26th minutes.

In the 35th minute, he slipped and missed a shot, but Vietnamese defenders kicked the ball away.

Vietnam continued its counterattacks in the second half, but Malaysia continued their onslaught as well.

However, both teams’ efforts were to no avail until the penalty shootout. Vietnam’s assistant coach Le Thuy Hai was sent off after overreacting to the tackling of Le Van Duyet.

But the incident did not affect the team’s spirits.

After a 90-minute game and 30 minutes of extra time, no goals had been scored.

Both teams were successful in their first five kicks in the penalty shootout, but it wasn’t until Truong stopped Malaysia’s sixth kicker and striker Thanh launched his final rocket that Vietnam finally drank from the cup.

Reported by Quang Tuyen