U23 Việt Nam and Tajikistan at the start of the friendly match on Wednesday. — Photo VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's U23 team emerged victorious against Tajikistan, in a friendly match held on Wednesday.

The match, which took place at Dushanbe Central Stadium, in Dushanbe, was decided by a crucial goal in the 47th minute.

Việt Nam were awarded a free kick on the right wing, and Lê Quốc Nhật Nam took a powerful shot towards the goal. The ball followed an unpredictable trajectory that the Tajikistan goalkeeper failed to stop, resulting in the only goal of the match.

Assistant coach Moulay Lahsen, who took charge in the absence of head coach Philippe Troussier as he is currently leading the Vietnamese senior team in two matches against Indonesia for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, guided the team to this victory.

The first half of the match was played at a fast pace, with intense battles in the midfield.  Việt Nam showcased good ball control and launched several attacks. Tajikistan displayed determination in their offensive moves. Quan Văn Chuẩn had to make some impressive saves to protect Việt Nam's goal from Tajikistan's dangerous long-range shots.

In the 73rd minute, Tajikistan had a clear chance to equalise when Chuẩn made an error, but Azizboev's shot went over the bar, allowing Việt Nam to maintain their advantage.

Việt Nam are scheduled to face Tajikistan once again on Saturday.

These friendly matches serve as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024, which is set to take place in Qatar from April 15 to May 3.

In Group D of the tournament, Việt Nam will compete against Uzbekistan, Kuwait, and Malaysia, while Tajikistan will face Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Thailand in Group C. VNS