Courtesy:
The AFC.comVietnam 2-2 AustraliaThursday, 23 February 2012Bangkok: Vietnam overcame a half-time deficit and the 30th minute red card of Nguyen Hoang Gian to draw 2-2 with Australia and secure top spot in Group B of the ASEAN Zone qualifiers for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship ahead of the Futsalroos.
Australia were gifted a first-half lead at the Kiraves Indoor Stadium when Phung Trung Luan netted an own goal in the 13th minute, two minutes after Hoang Gian had received his first yellow card of the game.
Luu Quynh Toan drew Vietnam level four minutes into the second period before referee Kim Jang-kwan booked Hoang Gian for the second time six minutes later.
Two minutes after Hoang Gian's red card, Chris Zeballos gave his side a 2-1 lead but Australia's advantage would last just for minutes, with Nguyen Trong Thien's 36th minute strike earning the draw for Vietnam which saw them finish the group phase with seven points, two more than the Futsalroos.
Vietnam will play the Group A runners-up in Saturday's semi-finals while Australia take on the Group table toppers in the other final four fixture earlier in the day.
The two finalists and the winner of the third-place playoff on Sunday will advance to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship finals which will be held in the UAE in May.
In the other Group B match, which took place at the same time over at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium, Malaysia made a brave attempt at obtaining the unlikeliest of second-place finishes by defeating Cambodia 14-3.
The Malaysians needed to overturn a sizable goal difference and hope that Vietnam would defeat Australia but the Futsalroos drawing with the Group B leaders, the winning margin against the Cambodians proved to be academic.
Courtesy:
The AFC.comThailand 5-2 IndonesiaThursday, 23 February 2012Bangkok: Thailand made it three-out-of-three in Group A of the ASEAN Zone qualifiers for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship to set up a final-four meeting with Group B runners-up Australia.
The hosts and Indonesia had already assured themselves of a place in the semis meaning Thursday's fixture at the Kiraves Indoor Stadium would determine who would finish first and second in the standings.
Indonesia took a second minute lead when Afif Tamimy maintained his record of a goal-a-game but the advantage lasted just two minutes with Thankorn Penpakul levelling for Thailand.
Suphawut Thueanklang made it 2-1 to Thailand with his eighth goal of the campaign before Jetsada Chudech gave the hosts a two-goal cushion to take into the break.
Jetsada scored his second and Thailand's fourth in the 31st minute before Jirawat Sornwichian struck number five in the 36th minute, three minutes after Caisar Oktavianus Silitonga had pulled another one back for Indonesia, who will face Group B winners Vietnam in Saturday's semis.
The two finalists and the winner of the third-place playoff on Sunday will advance to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship finals which will be held in the UAE in May.
In the other Group A match, which took place at the same time over at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium, the Philippines ended their campaign on a high note with a narrow 2-1, come-from-behind win over Myanmar.
Tin Win Ko Ko gave Myanmar a sixth minute lead but second-half goals from Edward Mallari (21st) and Robert Ravelo (31st) saw the Philippines finish third.
Posted by
Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com
