Why can the Vietnamese team be eliminated early without playing Iraq?

The Vietnamese team could find themselves playing when they know for sure they have no chance of advancing. The match schedule arranged by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the reason why this scenario could happen.

Due to the nature of the continent spanning multiple time zones without fixed match times, the matches of the final round of the second qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup in Asia cannot take place at the same time as centrally organized tournaments.

The Indonesian team will host the Philippine team in Jakarta at 7:30 p.m. on June 11 (Vietnam time). The Vietnamese team will play at 1 a.m. on June 12 (Vietnam time), 5:30 a.m. later than Indonesia.

The Vietnamese team ranked third in Group F, with 6 points and a goal difference of -2 (scored 5 goals, conceded 7 goals). The Indonesian team had 7 points, with a secondary index of -2 (scored 6 goals and conceded 8 goals). If coach Shin Tae-yong and his team beat the Philippines, all of the Vietnamese team's efforts would be meaningless.

On the contrary, if the Indonesian team cannot beat the Philippines, the Vietnamese team will be given a lot of motivation.

In case Indonesia draws with the Philippines, the Vietnamese team needs to win against Iraq to advance. If Indonesia loses to the Philippines, Quang Hai and his teammates only need to draw with the host team to get a ticket to the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

In theory, that is true, but the chances of the Vietnamese team advancing are not high. Firstly, the Indonesian team is much stronger than the Philippines.

The team from the archipelago still showed many positive signs on the attacking front and made it difficult for the Iraqi team many times in the last match. The fact that Indonesia got 3 points at home in the last match did not surprise many people.

Second, the Vietnamese team itself is unlikely to score points against Iraq. Mr. Kim Sang-sik initially helped his players gain efficiency and a comfortable spirit when playing football. However, the Korean coach himself has not been able to overcome many of the remaining problems of the Vietnamese team.

Midfielder Do Hung Dung said: "The spirit of not giving up helps the Vietnamese team maintain the ability to continue, even though it is very small. The Vietnamese team still has a chance, so we have to fight. As long as we can breathe, we have to do our best even though the road will be difficult. Our spirit is very good. The fans support the players, it has been a long time since the Vietnamese team has had such a spirit."

The Vietnam team will face the Iraq team at 1:00 a.m. on June 12.