Vietnam’s national futsal team nearly pulled off a major upset against Thailand at the 2026 Continental Futsal Championship in Nonthaburi, rallying from a three-goal deficit using power-play tactics to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw on August 5.
Entering the tournament’s closing match at the Nonthaburi stadium, head coach Diego Giustozzi’s squad sat atop the standings with seven points from three matches, having held Russia to a 2-2 draw while defeating New Zealand 4-1 and Afghanistan 2-1. With host Thailand holding points from their matches, the fixture carried the weight of a virtual final, where a single victory would crown the champions.
Early Deficits and Host Pressure at Nonthaburi Stadium
The host nation quickly demonstrated why they entered the match higher in the global rankings. Less than two minutes into the contest, an errant pass in the defensive third allowed Thailand to launch a swift counterattack capped by Charoenphong’s opening goal. Five more minutes elapsed before another turnover in the midfield gifted the hosts a second tally. Kittipanuwong burst past defenders and rounded goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý to deposit the ball into an empty net, doubling the lead.
Thailand extended their advantage further in the 14th minute when Kittipanuwong capped a crisp passing sequence inside the penalty area with a sharp finish. Trailing 3-0, the visiting side turned to aggressive tactical adjustments. Toward the end of the first half, the coaching staff opted for a power-play setup, removing the traditional goalkeeper to add an outfield attacker in search of an offensive spark. Though the maneuver failed to produce an immediate score before the interval, it laid the groundwork for a stunning second-half turnaround.
Power-Play Execution Sparks a Three-Goal Rally
Coach Giustozzi altered his lineup at the start of the second period, replacing starting goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý with Phạm Văn Tú to steady the defensive rotation. The decisive tactical shift arrived in the 26th minute when the squad recommitted fully to the power-play formation, maintaining a relentless man-advantage on the attack.
The gamble paid off as the deficit vanished in a flurry of long-range strikes and close-range pressure.
- 30th minute: Châu Đoàn Phát initiated the comeback with a powerful long-range shot that sliced the lead to 3-1.
- 34th minute: Từ Minh Quang followed suit from distance, narrowing the margin to 3-2.
- 38th minute: Đa Hải finished from close range to level the score at 3-3, igniting celebrations on the bench.
The draw brought the team’s final tournament tally to eight points from four matches.
Building Momentum After Opening Stalemate Against Russia
The resilient finish in Nonthaburi echoed the squad’s opening performance days earlier, where they similarly forced a 2-2 draw against Russia. In that tournament opener, Andrey Pavlov opened the scoring for the higher-ranked European side in the 10th minute before Nguyễn Thịnh Phát leveled the match with a well-timed volley in the 24th minute following a tactical set-piece delivered by Nhan Gia Hưng.
Trần Thái Huy seized the lead moments later, but Aleksandr Pirogov quickly answered for Russia. The opening match concluded with near-misses, highlighted by a late effort where Nhan Gia Hưng’s powerful strike deflected off Thịnh Phát and struck the goalpost. Across both high-stakes fixtures, the squad demonstrated a capacity to absorb early pressure against continental powerhouses and utilize tactical risks to alter the course of play.
