In the 33rd minute, with Vietnam leading 6-1, Gu Haitao, after losing possession, kicked Pham Duc Hoa from behind. The referee immediately issued a straight red card, ejecting the Chinese player. The match, held on the afternoon of 22/9, ended in a 7-2 defeat for the hosts.

In its match report, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) described Gu's foul as "violent" and stemming from "frustration" after falling behind by a significant margin.

Gu Haitao received a direct red card after fouling Pham Duc Hoa in China's 7-2 loss to Vietnam in the second round of Group E of the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers at the Linping Stadium, China on 22/9/2025. Photo: Screenshot

Two days after the match, the AFC Disciplinary Committee announced a two-match ban for Gu Haitao and a fine of 1,000 USD (approximately 25 million VND). Gu will miss the final group match against Hong Kong on the afternoon of 24/9. The remaining suspension will be served in the next AFC or FIFA tournament that China participates in.

In addition to Gu Haitao, Cambodian player Setha Sachakboth also received a one-match ban and a 1,000 USD fine for violent conduct during Cambodia's 7-1 loss to Tajikistan in the second round of Group C on 22/9.

Vietnam defeated Lebanon 4-0 in their final match to top Group E with 9 points. China, without any points, is eliminated. Lebanon finished second with 4 points, but their qualification depends on the result of the Hong Kong-China match.

The final standings in the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers are determined by head-to-head results. However, as Hong Kong and Lebanon drew 1-1, the next criteria are overall goal difference, goals scored, and fair play points.

Lebanon has a goal difference of -3 and has scored 3 goals, while Hong Kong has a goal difference of -8 and has scored 2 goals. Hong Kong needs to win against China by five or more goals to equal Lebanon's -3 goal difference and surpass them in goals scored. This is a challenging task, as China will be seeking a win to salvage some pride in the tournament on home soil.

The 2026 AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers feature 31 teams divided into eight groups. The teams play a round-robin format, with the eight group winners and the seven best second-placed teams advancing to the final tournament alongside hosts Indonesia.

Seven groups played from 20/9 to 24/9. Group D, consisting of hosts Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Taiwan, and Pakistan, will play from 18/10 to 22/10.

Hieu Luong