LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam lost 1-0 to Syria in their group D first leg game on Saturday, severely damaging their chances of qualifying for the final round of the Asian Cup.

On the ball: Vietnamese half-back Thanh Luong (left) faces off against Syria’s goal keeper (centre) in the teams’ group D first leg at the Asian Cup on Saturday.

The first chance fell to the hosts in the 14th minute, Tan Tai overcame the challenges of the visitor’s defenders to pass the ball to captain Minh Phuong who hit the post with only the keeper to beat.

After a slow start, Syria started to get into the game but it remained goalless at halftime.

After the break, both sides went looking for the three points.

In the 49th minute, Viet Nam’s Duy Quang sent a header goalwards but Syria’s goalkeeper Balhous did brilliantly to push the ball over the bar.

In the 80th minute, Viet Nam missed another chance when returning striker Le Cong Vinh, of Portugal’s Leixoes, failed to capitalise on a glorious opportuntity.

In the final of the ASEAN Football Championship against Thailand last December, Vinh scored in the dying seconds to take Viet Nam to victory after a 49-year wait.

The match was determined in injury time when Syria striker Rafe buried a free header in the 94th minute to score the only goal of the game.

Syria are currently top of the group with nine points after three wins over China, Lebanon and Viet Nam. Meanwhile coach Henrique Calisto’s team, who crushed Lebanon 3-1 in Ha Noi but were thrashed 6-1 by China in Hangzhou, have three points.

“Having lost to Syria, Viet Nam’s chances of qualifying for the final round of the Asian Cup are very low. So I will create chances for the U-23s to gain more experience in the next matches,” said coach Calisto.

Viet Nam will play their last games of the Asian Cup qualifiers with Lebanon away on January 6 and at home to China on March 3.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News