The Vietnamese national team is in Group F with Iraq, the Philippines, and Indonesia in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the Asian region.
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| The Vietnamese national team lineup in a friendly match. (Source: VFF) |
The chances of coach Philippe Troussier's players advancing are not small, even though the Vietnamese national team recently lost in a series of friendly matches.
According to the tournament format, in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the top two teams in each group will advance to the third round and qualify for the Asian Cup.
The Vietnamese team has a great chance of achieving this important goal if the players perform to their potential. In Group F, Iraq is considered our strongest opponent and is expected to secure a spot in the third qualifying round.
In their last four encounters with Iraq, the Vietnamese team has not won a single match, losing three of them.
Besides the relatively strong Iraq team, the Vietnamese national team can certainly achieve favorable results against the remaining two teams, Indonesia and the Philippines, aiming for at least second place in this group and qualifying for the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers as well as the Asian Cup.
Indonesia and the Philippines are not really difficult opponents for Coach Troussier's team. History shows that we usually play well against these two teams from the same Southeast Asian region.
The Vietnamese national team defeated the Indonesian national team in both the first and second legs of the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. In their last six encounters, the Vietnamese team has remained undefeated against Indonesia, including three wins.
If they have their strongest squad and the players are in top form, the Vietnamese national team can once again achieve a positive result when they face Coach Shin Tae Yong's Indonesian team.
The Philippines are not a difficult opponent for the Vietnamese national team. The last time Vietnam lost to them was in 2012. In the last five matches against the Philippines, the Vietnamese national team has won all of them.
If they can secure favorable results against Indonesia and the Philippines (a feasible task), Coach Troussier's players will practically guarantee their place in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
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