The match marked Vietnam's third friendly in April, and they faced an exceptionally strong opponent in Kazakhstan - ranked 24 places above them in the FIFA futsal world rankings.

The Central Asian team is not only known for its superior technical foundation but also for a lineup featuring several naturalized Brazilian players. Among them is standout goalkeeper Leo Higuita, widely regarded as the best futsal keeper in the world today.

Despite facing such a formidable rival, it was Vietnam who opened the scoring. In the 15th minute of the first half, after Leo Higuita had pushed forward, T Minh Quang seized the opportunity to strike from his own half into an empty net, giving Vietnam the lead.

Though still considered the underdog, Vietnam maintained composure in the second half, playing with resilience and launching sharp counterattacks. Kazakhstan equalized in the 32nd minute through a slick combination that left goalkeeper Ho Van Y with no chance.

Just when it seemed the match would end in a draw, Vietnam struck again in dramatic fashion. In the 39th minute, Chau Doan Phat unleashed a powerful long-range shot that caught the Kazakhstan goalkeeper off guard, reclaiming the lead for the red shirts at 2-1.

As Kazakhstan pushed forward in the final seconds using the power-play tactic with a high-positioned goalkeeper, they left their net exposed. Vietnam capitalized on the open goal twice more, one of which was scored by goalkeeper Ho Van Y himself.

The match ended with a sensational 4-1 victory for Vietnam, a monumental result against a team that had reached the semifinals of the Futsal World Cup and is currently ranked among the global elite.

Scorers
Vietnam: Minh Quang (15’), Doan Phat (39’), Van Y (40’), Cong Vien (40’)
Kazakhstan: Yerzhan (33’)

Thien Binh