Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Nay Pyi Taw: Vietnam maintain their run to qualify for the AFC U-14 Championship 2014 finals after beating the Philippines 5-0 at the Wunna Theik Stadium in Myanmar on Sunday.
Ho Van Thuoc, Nguyen Van Thanh, Nguyen Trong Long and Nguyen Thai Son were on target for the Vietnamese side while the Filipinos’ midfielder Alfonso Carlos Bautista Mendoza scored an own goal 10 minutes from time.
Vietnam are now sitting on nine points from four matches in their qualifying Group E, just a point adrift from second-place Malaysia and leaders Timor Leste, and still have a chance to leapfrog the two nations to top spot to grab the only ticket available from the group for the finals.
The junior Azkals, led by head coach Eliezer Obias Fabroada, are already out of contention as are hosts Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam, and will be playing the Bruneians in their last game on Monday. The Tran Minh Chien-led Vietnamese will be up against Malaysia.
Iran, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, DPR Korea and Iraq have already booked their tickets to the finals after finishing their respective qualifying groups.
The results of the ongoing Group E and also Group F, both in Myanmar, will complete the qualification stage of the eight-nation inaugural U-14 tournament.
Group E standings as of Sunday:
Timor Leste – 10 points
Malaysia – 10 points
Vietnam – 9 points
Myanmar – 3 points
Philippines – 3 points
Brunei Darussalam – 0 points