Vietnam, Wimbledon tied 2-2 in U-19 training match

The Vietnamese national U-19 football team came from behind to draw 2-2 against their Wimbledon counterparts after missing several clear chances to score, including a penalty kick, in their friendly match on Monday in England.

Although the Wimbledon U-19 players are stronger in height and stature, the visiting team staged an equal game thanks to their playing technique, which relies on speed and short passes.

Vietnam conceded the opening goal just three minutes into the game before its striker Cong Phuong was set up in a favored position to receive the ball from forward Van Toan, and cushioned it home to level 1-1 in the 30th minute.

In the last minute of the first half, Vietnam was awarded a penalty kick but Van Toan failed to make it.

Previously, Vietnamese players missed at least five chances to score.

Wimbledon lifted the score up to 2-1 before Vietnam fixed it 2-2 in the second half.

Vietnam’s French coach Graechen Guillaume admitted that his players need to improve their scoring skills.

“In the match with Arsenal U-19s, Vietnam had five chances to score but made only three of them. In this match, we wasted many opportunities,” he said.

Coach Shaun North of Wimbledon praised the visiting players for “displaying a good sense of strategy and speed on the field.”

The Vietnamese beat their Arsenal U-19 rivals 3-0 in another friendly match in London last week.

The two games are part of their 51-day training trip, starting this month, to England, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands in order to prepare for the 2014 Asian U-19 Football Championship, to be held in October in Myanmar.

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