Vietnam advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing football tourney AFC Asian Cup 2019 with pride after a breath-taking shootout with Jordan in the evening of January 20 in the United Arab Emirates.

Nguyen Cong Phuong (No. 10) and other players celebrate after Phuong scored an equalizer for Vietnam in the second half of the match against Jordan on January 20

The two sides finished the official 90 minutes of the match with a 1-1 draw, in which Vietnam conceded a goal in the first half and gradually scored an equalizer in the second. The match saw Vietnam’s dominance with more possession (58 percent – 42 percent), shots (18-8), shots on target (7-3) and even corners (8-0). The excellent performance by Vietnamese players won praises from commentators of famous sports media like Fox Sports.

Into the extra times, the two sides played cautiously but by no means dully although the players’ health went down considerably. The two coaches sent in their substitutes, apparently preparing for the shootout.

Vietnamese players rejoice after defeating Jordan in the breathtaking shootout (Photo: VNA)

Saeed of Jordan hit the bar in the second penalty, much to his and his side’s regret. Their regret even worsened as Vietnam’s goalie Dang Van Lam denied a goal from the Jordan side in their third penalty.

Vietnam should have finished the game early but substitute Tran Minh Vuong failed to score a goal in the fourth penalty. However, in the last shoot, defender Bui Tien Dung sent the ball to the net to secure a berth in the quarterfinals for Vietnam.-VNA