 "India take on Vietnam football team in a friendly on 12 October. Image: Reuters/AIFF")
The Indian football team will be back in action when they take on Vietnam in an international friendly on 12 October at 4.30 PM IST at the Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định. India and Vietnam share a long history in football but you will be surprised to know that this will be only the fourth international match. The Indian football team played regularly against the erstwhile South Vietnam side multiple times between the 1950s and 1970s in Merdeka Cups and Asian Games, but have hardly played against Vietnam since the unification in 1976.
In fact, all three matches between the two sides have come after the start of the 21st century. Vietnam currently lead the head-to-head against India 2-1 from three matches. All three games were international friendlies.
In the first match in 2004, Vietnam defeated India 2-1 win in the LG Cup in Ho Chi Minh City, while in 2010, former captain Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick as the Blue Tigers won 3-1 in Pune. Their last game was in 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City when Vietnam won 3-0 against Igor Stimac-coached India.
India vs Vietnam: Head-to-head record
Games played : 3
India wins: 1
Draws: 0
Vietnam wins: 2
List of India vs Vietnam football matches:
24 August 2004: Vietnam 2-1 India
8 October 2010: India 3-1 Vietnam
27 September 2022: Vietnam 3-0 India
More on the Vietnam football team
Vietnam men’s national football team is coached by ex-South Korea footballer Kim Sang-sik, who joined them in June.
The Vietnam team which is ranked 116th in FIF Rannkings has picked a 27-member squad that has 13 players including goalscorers Nguyễn Văn Toàn and Nguyễn Văn Quyết from the 2022 match against India. They have 10 defeats in their last 11 matches.
Under Sang-sik, they defeated the Philippines but have lost the remaining three matches so far. In September, they lost to Russia (0-3) and Thailand (1-2) in the LPBank Cup friendly tournament in Hanoi.
Like India, Vietnam’s entire squad also plays in their domestic league - the V.League 1. It contains a mix of senior and young players. Some of the experienced names include veteran striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết, centre-back and captain Quế Ngọc Hải, goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm and midfielder Đỗ Hùng Dũng. With 21 international goals, Nguyễn Tiến Linh is the highest scorer in the current squad. Midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải spent a season in the French Ligue 2 with Pau FC a couple of years ago.
The majority of the Vietnam players are below the age of 26, including exciting prospects like Nguyễn Thanh Bình, Khuất Văn Khang and Nguyễn Thái Sơn. 20-year-old forward Nguyễn Đình Bắc is the youngest player in Kim Sang-sik’s side and already has two goals in 10 appearances for the Vietnam senior team.
Vietnam will miss the services of forward Phạm Tuấn Hải and defender Hồ Tấn Tài due to injuries. Some regular names like Đỗ Duy Mạnh, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh and Phan Văn Đức are also not part of the squad for the friendly against India.
India struggling for form as well
India have also not won a match since November 2023 when they defeated Kuwait away from home in World Cup qualifiers.
The Blue Tigers are currently ranked 126th.
10 among India’s 23 players were in Vietnam in 2022 for the friendly match - Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Anwar Ali, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Vikram Partap Singh, Amrinder Singh and Naorem Roshan Singh.
India vs Vietnam football match prediction: Vietnam to win 3-0
India vs Vietnam football match data and time: 12 October at 4.30 PM IST
India vs Vietnam football match where to watch: FanCode app and website
Indian squad**:**
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Anwar Ali, Aakash Sangwan, Subhasish Bose, Asish Rai, Mehtab Singh, Roshan Singh Naorem.
Midfielders: Suresh Singh Wangjam, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Lalengmawia, Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Forwards: Edmund Lalrindika, Farukh Chaudhary, Manvir Singh, Vikram Partap Singh.