In the 89th minute, substitute midfielder Le Van Thuan, who entered the game in the 70th minute, threaded a pass down the left wing to Nguyen Dinh Bac. Using his speed, Dinh Bac bypassed Noah Leddel. After a few touches, the forward born in 2004 laid the ball off for Nguyen Phi Hoang to deliver a cross to the near post. Van Thuan arrived just in time, heading the ball, which deflected off a Philippines player and into the net.

Overjoyed, Van Thuan took off his jersey and sprinted towards the corner flag to celebrate. That goal crushed the Philippines' morale, opening the door wide for Vietnam to reach the final.

Coach Kim Sang-sik (in black shirt) and his assistants rushed to celebrate with their players. Almost immediately, however, he gestured to his head, signaling his players to maintain focus for the remaining short time.

The conceded goal forced the Philippines to push their attacking line higher, exposing many gaps behind them. Vietnam capitalized on a counter-attack, earning a free-kick near the left edge of the penalty area. From there, Nguyen Thanh Nhan struck with his right foot, sending the ball bouncing into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Guimaraes helpless.

Thanh Nhan (number 22) ran towards Stand A to celebrate in front of the Vietnamese fans. His teammates immediately rushed to embrace him. The forward born in 2003 then kissed the Vietnamese flag on his left chest and clenched his fists, shouting loudly. After the match, Thanh Nhan stated that this goal relieved a lot of pressure for him after a long period without scoring for the national team.

Unlike the opening goal, Coach Kim's celebration was not overly ecstatic. The second goal confirmed a definite victory for Vietnam with very little time remaining.

Shortly after, the final whistle blew. The Philippines players bowed their heads and collapsed onto the field. Some cried, unable to take the match further.

Nguyen Hieu Minh (left) and Nguyen Dinh Bac (right) consoled midfielder Sandro Reyes. The Philippines captain played the entire match and controlled the ball well. However, when other key players were substituted, the Philippines lost their momentum. Meanwhile, Vietnam's substitutions of Thanh Nhan and Van Thuan both made a difference.

Coach Kim Sang-sik also consoled the Philippines players. Afterward, he stood near the technical area, shaking hands with each of his players in joy. He has reached three consecutive finals in three official tournaments with Vietnamese football, after winning the ASEAN Cup 2024 and the U23 Southeast Asian Championship 2025. The Korean coach now has the opportunity to become the first coach to win all three major titles in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam will enter the SEA Games final for the third time in the last four editions. Previously, the team won gold medals at SEA Games 30 and 31 under Coach Park Hang-seo, and then a bronze medal at the 32nd edition under Coach Philippe Troussier. Vietnam will face the winner of the other semifinal between Thailand and Malaysia. The final will take place at 8 PM on 18/12/2025 at Rajamangal Stadium.

Hieu Luong