Vietnamese midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai is on the brink of winning the “Best Goal” award at the AFC U23 Championship 2018, with his goals against Qatar (semifinal) and Uzbekistan (final) currently accounting for approximately 90% of the votes in an ongoing poll carried out by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Quang Hai is on the verge of winning the "Best Goal" award at the AFC U23 Championship 2018.

As of 3.30pm on January 31, the number of votes for the poll (a shortlist of ten goals) reached more than 80,300 since its launch on the afternoon of January 29.

Specifically, Quang Hai’s successful free kick conversion against Uzbekistan, performed with his magical left foot in the snowy weather, has received over 51,300 votes, equivalent to 64% of the total, while his left-footed equaliser against Qatar has won nearly 18,300 votes, equal to 23%.

The Vietnamese midfielder is the only player to have two goals included in the AFC’s shortlist of the ten goals for the “Best Goal” poll.

The number of votes for Hai’s goals has far surpassed the remainder of the list, as Danial Amier’s (Malaysia) goal against Saudi Arabia is currently standing in third place with only 6% of the total votes (4,740 votes).

Although the AFC’s poll has yet to finish, there is a strong likelihood that the “Best Goal” award at the AFC U23 Championship 2018 will go to the Hanoi-born midfielder.

Hai scored a total of five goals in this year’s competition, with four of them hit from outside the penalty box. His goals significantly contributed to Vietnam’s first-ever appearance in the final match of a continental-level tournament.

Nhan Dan