2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier: Vietnam lose 0-1 to Iraq in injury time

Vietnam lost 0-1 to Iraq in the dying minutes in a Group F match of the second qualification round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on November 21 evening.

The Iraqi team dominated the match right from the start and kept Vietnamese defenders on alert almost all the time.

2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier: Vietnam lose 0-1 to Iraq in injury time | Culture - Sports  | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)
Vietnamese player Van Thanh (in red) in the match. (Photo: VNA)

In the first half, no less than three times Vietnam goalkeeper Van Lam faced high-risk finishing situations as his opponents were in convenient positions to score.

The excellence of goalkeeper Van Lam and the concentration of the defenders helped Vietnam maintain a draw throughout the 90 minutes of official time.

Vietnamese players created difficulties for Iraq during the match. However, a goal for Iraq was scored by Mohanad Ali at 90+6 when the match was only seconds from the final whistle.

Before the match, the head coach of Vietnam's national football team Philippe Troussier, experts, and fans expected a draw with the strongest team in Group F.

Despite the defeat, Vietnam is still temporarily ranked 2nd in the group with three points.

In the group, Vietnam will have two matches against Indonesia on March 21 and 26, 2023, one against the Philippines on June 6, 2024, and another against Iraq on June 11, 2024.

TIN LIÊN QUAN
Vietnam actively joins eighth World Investment Forum
Vietnam secures 94th place in FIFA ranking
Saudi Fund for Development’s contributions to transform challenges into opportunities in Vietnam and the world
Vietnam joins 2023 World Travel Market London
2026 World Cup’s Asian qualifiers: Vietnam beat Philippines 2-0
(Source: VNA)