Viet Nam’s national U23 team made their debut in a 2-2 draw against Japan’s J-League defending champions Kashima Antlers in a friendly match at Ha Noi’s My Dinh Stadium yesterday evening.

The Vietnamese team competed in this match with their strongest possible squad, including players Vu Minh Tuan, Quang Hung and Phi Son.

Despite the dominant physical strength of their opponents, the Vietnamese players used a variety of effective tactics and made continuous attacks.  Their outstanding teamwork left a good impression on the crowd.

Viet Nam and Kashima Antlers players

Five minutes after the break, Vu Minh Tuan opened the scoring with a sensational free kick from 25m, sending the home crowd wild.

However, their joy was short-lived as Yuya Osaka grabbed an equaliser just one minute later, thanks to a dazzling long run past Viet Nam’s stranded and static defence.

Five minutes later the Antlers made it 2-1 when Osaka provided a perfect pass to Atsutaka Nakamura to beat goalkeeper Ngoc.

Viet Nam’s coach Phuc tried to add more of an attacking threat by bringing on strikers Ha Minh Tuan and Tran Phi Son.  It proved an influential switch, with Son instantly causing problems for the Kashima Antlers’s defence.

The equaliser, when it came, was all too easy for the hosts.  In the 79^th minute, Sato and his defence suffered a major breakdown in communication, and the ball was passed straight into the path of substitute Hoang Danh Ngoc, who received the gift and put the ball into the empty net.

Viet Nam’s U23s will meet Myanmar U23s in another friendly match at Ho Chi Minh City’s Thong Nhat Stadium on 11 June before competing at the South East Asian Games (SEA Games 27) in Myanmar later this year.