Vietnam claim the AFF Beach Soccer Cup 2018

The Golden Dragons upset Thailand in the final as defending champions Malaysia clinch third

The AFF (ASEAN Football Federation) Beach Soccer Championship was decided this past weekend, with Vietnam prevailing over Thailand in the final. 

Five teams took part in the competition, held at the Bayu Suta Beach in Bali, Indonesia: Malaysia, Timor Leste, Thailand, Vietnam and the hosts Indonesia. 

First title for Vietnam

Vietnam took their first title of the AFF Beach Soccer Championship this year when they beat firm favourites Thailand 6-4 in the final.

Having been beaten 9-4 in the round robin stage, the Vietnamese took their game up a notch to deny Thailand their first ever crown.

And what made the win even more memorable was the fact that Vietnam had to find their way back after falling behind in the ninth minute off Komkrit Nanan’s lead for the Thais.

But Vietnam never lost focus and a three-minute blitz saw them racing to 3-1 in front off goals from Nguyen Anh Nhan in the 14th minute, Bui Tran Tuan Anh (15th) and Ho Quoc Hung (16th).

Thailand then tried to close the gap at 3-2 with their second goal of the game through Suchon Lamchalad in the 17th minute as Vietnam then pushed forward with two more goals off Nguyen Hoang Quan in the 20th minute and Tran Vinh Phong (25th).

The score was 5-2 and the title was within grasp for Vietnam.

Tanandon‘s two late goals in the 30th and 35th minute failed to spark a fightback as Vietnam then completed their win with their sixth goal of the game through Vinh Phong in the 33rd minute.

Vietnam were the only second team to have won the title for the AFF Beach Soccer following Malaysia’s win in 2014. The 2016 edition of the championship was cancelled.

Malaysia clinch bronze

Defending champions Malaysia, in turn, had to settle for the third spot when they beat hosts Indonesia 2-1 in the play-off game.

In an evenly contested affair between two fierce rivals, it was the Malaysians who went ahead in the 20th minute through Mohd Riduwan before Indonesia equalised off, thanks to Ketut Sudiartawan’s effort five minutes later.

But Mohd Hasrol Ali would emerge as the hero for the Malaysians with the winner on 33 minute.