In the second round of matches today, Yemen played early at 4 p.m. on 6/9. They struggled to overcome a weaker Bangladesh team 1-0 with a goal in the 94th minute. The win helped the Middle Eastern team take the lead in the group with six points before Vietnam's match against Singapore at 7 p.m.

Yemen players celebrate the goal in the 94th minute against Bangladesh in the second round of Group C of the U23 Asian Cup qualifiers on the afternoon of 6/9 at Viet Tri Stadium, Phu Tho. Photo: Hoang Huynh

Thanks to their 2-1 win over Singapore in the opening match, Yemen has the opportunity to compete for the top spot in the group with Vietnam. Therefore, they aimed to defeat Bangladesh before facing the host in the final round. The Yemen players attacked relentlessly after the opening whistle. In the 4th and 6th minutes, opportunities arose, but were denied by Bangladesh's defenders and the crossbar.

Bangladesh, essentially, still had a chance to advance if they secured three points. They played a focused defensive game, waiting for opportunities to launch sharp counterattacks. In the 32nd minute, Fahamedul's long-range shot was saved spectacularly by Yemen's goalkeeper, Ahmed Mokref.

The two teams then exchanged attacks but lacked clear opportunities to score. Conversely, continuous collisions occurred, causing several players to fall to the ground, interrupting the match.

Towards the end of the match, Yemen increased the pressure, causing Bangladesh's defenders to make mistakes. In the 87th minute, Bangladesh captain Rahman Jony committed a dangerous foul outside the penalty area, receiving a second yellow card and being sent off.

Playing with a man advantage, Yemen attacked relentlessly and were rewarded in the fourth minute of added time. Al Shami, with skillful technique, eliminated the opponent's defenders inside the penalty area before crossing for Abdo Al Awami to rush in and finish with a precise shot into the net, scoring the only goal of the match.

The U23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers take place from 3/9 to 9/9, with 44 teams divided into 11 groups in 11 countries. The teams compete in a round-robin format, selecting the top 11 teams and the four best second-placed teams to join host Saudi Arabia in the final round.

Group C matches are being played at Phu Tho Stadium, Vietnam. In the final round, Yemen will face the host at 7 p.m. on 9/9.

Duc Dong