Vietnamese players celebrate a goal during their 5-4 win over Kuwait in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 on January 29 in Jakarta, Indonesia. — Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will seek an early ticket to the knockout stage of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 after facing Lebanon on January 29 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Under World Cup-winning coach Diego Giustozzi, the Vietnamese side came from behind twice to beat Kuwait 5-4 in the Group B opener on January 27 at Jakarta International Velodrome.

A win in their second match will see them booking their quarter-final spot with one game to spare.

Giustozzi attributed Việt Nam's struggle to win the first match to the inexperience of his side, which has brought in several younger players in an effort to rejuvenate the team.

“In the first half, maybe we did not feel good with the pitch and ball, and we needed some time to get into the match,” he said.

“And as this team are young, we did not have any balance in the first 40 minutes. But the second half was perfect, because the players started dominating little by little.”

Kuwait head coach Bruno Garcia, who managed Việt Nam in 2014-16 and took the team to the last eight in the World Cup 2016, said he believes his team deserved a point from their encounter with Việt Nam, during which they let their opponents back into the match twice.

“Việt Nam are a strong team, and it would have been good if we had left with one point,” he said. “The match was crazy, because we were heading the scoreboard twice, and then it became difficult in the second half although we tried and fought a lot.”

Forward Nguyễn Đa Hải of Việt Nam (left) tries to take a ball from midfielder Abdullah Alenezi of Kuwait during their match.

As for the team's next rival, Giustozzi said: “Lebanon play close at the back and counter-attack, and it’s difficult for us, as we don't have the characteristics needed to play such matches.

“But I am confident in my team and we will do our best to take three points, because Lebanon are a good team and they will come to win.”

It will be the second meeting for both sides, after Việt Nam trounced Lebanon 4-0 in the qualifying round four months ago.

In the other game on January 27, the 2024 runners-up Thailand won 2-0 over Lebanon to top the group on a goal differential.

The loss dropped the latter team to the bottom of the table. They need a win against Việt Nam to maintain their hopes in the next stage.

Lebanon head coach Ricardo Iniguez said he was pleased with his side’s display and remained optimistic that Việt Nam would prove a more familiar adversary.

“They have a very different style of play compared to Thailand, but it is a style of play which I’m familiar with. We will go out to win.”

Lebanon qualified for the Asian Cup finals after standing second in Group E.

It is the team's 13th appearance in the tournament after bowing out of the last edition. They have reached the quarter-finals seven times. — VNS