Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Riffa: Coach Hoang Anh Tuan was almost at a loss for words after Vietnam defeated Bahrain 1-0 in their AFC U-19 Championship Bahrain 2016 quarter-final match on Sunday, qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 in the process.
Tran Thanh's (pictured, right) instinctive chip over the goalkeeper in the 72nd minute decided what had been a fairly even contest as Bahrain failed to find an equaliser before time ran out.
This historic result means Vietnam, a team which had never gotten past the group stage before, extend their historic run in the competition.
"What can I say now? This is a big football story," said Hoang. "I am very happy and proud of my players.
"This is the result of a long period of preperation, not just the match you see today.
"To build mentality and focus, you need time. That is our strong point and you saw it today with our mentality and fighting spirit."