U23 Vietnam set an unprecedented clean sheet record in SEA Games history

On the way to winning the 31st SEA Games, U23 Vietnam beat Indonesia 3-0, drew the Philippines 0-0, beat Myanmar 1-0 and beat Timor-Leste 2-0 in the group stage. In the semi-finals, U23 Vietnam beat Malaysia 1-0 with Tien Linh’s header in the 111th minute. And in the final, Manh Dung’s air-fight helped U23 Vietnam win 1-0, successfully defending the gold medal. .

The record of keeping a white sheet at the 31st SEA Games helps U23 Vietnam become the first champion team to keep a clean sheet in the entire campaign, if counted since the SEA Games men’s football started for the U23 age group in 2001.

After 6 SEA Games 31 matches, with 5 90-minute matches and one 120-minute match, goalkeeper Van Toan did not have to go into the net to pick up the ball, equivalent to 570 minutes of keeping the net in the official game time. Including the SEA Games 30 in 2019, U23 Vietnam has kept a clean sheet since the 2-2 draw with Thailand U23 in the group stage. The time without conceding a goal has now reached 830 minutes.

Manh Dung’s header brought Vietnam U23 to the title of SEA Games 31

In the entire history of SEA Games, U23 Vietnam is the second team to keep a clean sheet throughout the championship journey. The first team to achieve this achievement was Malaysia in 1979. However, at that time, the SEA Games men’s football only had 5 teams participating, kicking round 1 round to select 2 teams to the final.

The victory over coach Mano Polking and his students also ended the “nightmare” of Vietnamese men’s football against the Thais in the SEA Games final. Historically, Vietnamese football has met Thailand 4 times in the final, losing all 4 (1995, 1999, 2003 and 2005).