King's Cup final: Vietnam vs Curaçao

June 08, 2019 - 19:08

10.28 PM

We're signing off again after a disappointing end to the King's Cup for Viet Nam, but our boys did us proud.

Thanks to Ha Be, Sau, Hoang Quick, Minh Mai and Paul Kennedy for all their efforts, until next time!

10.25 PM

Relive all the drama of the shootout, as if you'd been sat in Ha Noi's best bia hoi yourself.

10.00 PM

Agony and ecstasy here folks, but that's how a penalty shootout always ends. It's not all doom and gloom though, as the normal time draw should help Viet Nam's Fifa ranking, which is crucial ahead of the World Cup qualifiers coming later this year.

 

Photos VTV

Full time Viet Nam 1-1 Curacao (Curacoa win 5-4 on penalties)

Michael Maria scores the decisive penalty and Curacao are King's Cup champions. Van Lam went the right way but wan't able to keep it out.

Viet Nam 4-4 Curacao

Van Hau knocks it into the corner. All on Van Lam now.

Viet Nam 3-4 Curacao 

Bacuna calmly slots it home. Viet Nam on the precipice now.

Viet Nam 3-3 Curacao 

Ngoc Hai with a strange run-up, but he scores.

Viet Nam 2-3 Curacao 

Antonina slots his home.

Viet Nam 2-2 Curacao

Trong Hoang fires his penalty down the middle with the keeper going the wrong way. 

Viet Nam 1-2 Curacao 

Hooi calmly puts his penalty away.

Viet Nam 1-1 Curacao

Cong Phuong blasts it over the bar! Terrible penalty.

Photo VTV

Viet Nam 1-1 Curacao 

Benschop sends Van Lam the wrong way.

Viet Nam 1-0 Curacao 

Anh Duc steps up first and blasts it into the corner. 

9.46 PM

The atmosphere is tense in the bia hois of Ha Noi, but don't worry, the beer's still cold and cheap as chips!

 

Photos Paul Kennedy

Full time Viet Nam 1-1 Curacao

Penalties it is. What's the Vietnamese for bottle, and do our lads have it?

92 min

Hearts in mouths as Curacao almost get through, but Ngoc Hai puts in a great tackle to put it out for a corner, which is cleared in short order.

90 min

The fourth official has his board up for four minutes of added time, and penalties loom.

84 min

Quang Hai is feeling it now and bends an effort with the outside of his boot just past the post.

GOAL! Viet Nam 1-1 Curacao (Duc Huy, 83)

Beautiful move as Viet Nam work it to the edge of the box, Quang Hai steps over it to dummy the defence and Duc Huy is there to slot it home. Get in!

Photo VTV

80 min

Only 10 minutes left to find an equaliser, but we all know this team never say die, or the Vietnamese equivalent.

76 min

Van Toan comes off for Tran Van Kien, who's making his first appearance for the national team. A goal here would be a dream debut!

74 min

Benchop mugs Ngoc Hai deep in Vietnamese territory but he blazes his effort over the bar. The Viet Nam captain is struggling here.

72 min

Kastaneer replaces Bonevacia for Curaco, who are cruising here. There's 17,072 kilometres between Viet Nam and Curacao, which is one long-haul flight I don't fancy!

70 min

A Ngoc Hai mistake lets in subsitute Benschop but his shot flies over the bar.

65 min

Anh Duc comes on for Tien Dung. Quite an attacking switch from coach Park, can Anh Duc repeat his heroics of a few nights ago?

63 min

Cong Phuong balloons his shot over the bar and an army of ball boys are heading to the car park to find the ball.

62 min

Viet Nam have a free-kick in a dangerous position here, time for Quang Hai to step up?

GOAL! Viet Nam 0-1 Curacao (Carolina, 57)

The Curacao defender fires one in from the edge of the box to open the scoring. Van Lam could perhaps have done better, but it was a good strike.

Photo VTV

54 min

Cong Phuong has a pop, but goalkeeper Eloy Room is equal to the shot and gathers easily.

53 min

Great work from Van Toan to cut it back to Minh Vuong but he skies his effort over the bar. Waste of a good chance.

52 min

Quiet start to the second half here, so here's a look some of our live blog team. We start them early here, Sau is being trained up so she's ready to report on the World Cup in 2042!

Photo Paul Kennedy

46 min

We're back underway here at the Chang Arena, and Minh Vuong has replaced Xuan Truong in midfield.

Half-time analysis

A quick recap of the first period for you here from Viet Nam News HQ. Gold star if you know which team's shirt I'm wearing!

Half-time

Curacao end the half on top with a spell of pressure, but the referee blows without either goalkeeper having been troubled.

Viet Nam started the brighter but their opponents have grown into the game. All to play for in the next 45!

42 min

A quick look at our Fan Cam in downtown Ha Noi, and it might be a friendly tournament, but the atmosphere is as tense as a World Cup final!

40 min

Cong Phuong makes a great solo run, he's done them all ends up! But his shot is screwed wide.

37 min

After being cleared the ball falls to Hooi on the edge of the box, and he fires it so high over the bar I'm afraid it'll land somewhere in Ha Noi next week!

36 min

Curacao have a free-kick after a great turn from Hooi. He's as quick as their neon green kit is loud.

32 min

Curacao break at speed and Hooi is almost through on goal, but goalkeeper Van Lam manages to put him off.

29 min

Van Toan has a chance after neat work down the right, but he drags his shot wide.

27 min

The corner is cleared but it eventually comes to Arias who fires over the bar from the edge of the box.

26 min

Jafar Arias muscles his way through the Viet Nam defence and it's scrambled away for a corner. He's a big lad and could cause some problems.

24 min

It's cleared and Elson Hooi absolutely clatters Trong Hoang as the defender sheperds the clearance out of play. He'll feel that one tomorrow, luckily they're not short of tiger balm in Thailand.

22 min

The Caribbean side have grown into the game and are holding the ball, but Viet Nam counter through Van Toan! It's a two on one, but he can't thread the pass through to Cong Phuong and it's a corner.

17 min

Curacao have two corners in quick succession, but Viet Nam are stout and clear the danger.

13 min

Another nice set-piece routine, but the danger is cleared.

12 min

Van Toan forces a mistake from the Curacao defence and Cong Phuong is through! But the keeper comes out and it's a corner.

8 min

Viet Nam have a free-kick in a dangerous position after Cong Phuong is brought down, but it comes to nothing.

5 min

A well worked routine sees Van Hau gets his head on it, but he can't hit the target.

4 min

Viet Nam have started the brighter and have won a corner after smart work from Cong Phuong.

2 min

Trong Hoang commits a foul early. As my dad used so say, let them know you're there son!

1 min

And away we go!

7.49 PM

A rousing rendition of the Vietnamese national anthem, almost ready to go here!

Photo VTV

7.43 PM

The teams on their way out from the tunnel. Looks like Curacao have borrowed Thailand's bomb scare of a kit from the other night. On a sidenote, Thunder Castle is a great nickname for a football stadium.

Photo VTV

7.36 PM

Here's a quick snap of the Vietnamese team arriving earlier, Anh Duc on the left and Duc Chinh on the right. Anh Duc was dropped tonight despite scoring the winner on Wednesday, doesn't look thrilled does he?

Photo VTV

7.30 PM

Curacao meanwhile have stuck with the same XI that put India to the sword.

7.20 PM

Here's the Viet Nam team, and coach Park Hang-seo has tinkered a bit. Nguyen Cuong Phuong replaces Nguyen Anh Duc up front and there's a new midfield duo in the form of Pham Duc Huy and Luong Xuan Truong.

This stadium is Truong's home ground, so he should know where all the bobbles are on the pitch, which is sure to have taken a kicking over the last few days.

Photo VFF

7.14 PM

Hello again and welcome to our live blog of the King’s Cup, with Viet Nam taking on Curacao in the final in Buriram, Thailand.

We’re 45 minutes away from kick-off and we’ll be bringing you coverage through the entire 90 minutes and penalties if required, but while you’re waiting checking out our match preview article from today’s paper: https://vietnamnews.vn/sports/521038/viet-nam-eye-kings-cup-crown.html

So join myself Peter Cowan, Ha Be, Hoang Quick and Paul Kennedy and we’ll see if Viet Nam can lift the King’s Cup trophy!

 

It all comes down to this moment, Saturday June 8, when Vietnam take on Curaçao in the King's Cup final. Log on to vietnamnews.vn from 7pm for our live blog coverage.

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