Vietnam team faces Asian team in World Cup 2026

Iraq becomes the 9th Asian representative to qualify for World Cup 2026 after defeating Bolivia, concluding a challenging journey marked by memorable encounters with the Vietnam team.

In the second round of the Asian qualifiers for World Cup 2026, Iraq was grouped with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines. The West Asian representative demonstrated overwhelming strength by winning all six matches, thereby securing the top spot in Group F decisively. During this journey, Iraq defeated the Vietnam team twice with scores of 1-0 and 3-1, showcasing a clear difference in level.

Although unable to secure direct qualification in the third round, Iraq proved its resilience by finishing in third place, thus advancing to the fourth round. Here, they continued to overcome UAE to reach the intercontinental playoff, the final hurdle before the World Cup.

Against Bolivia, Iraq was considered the underdog but started confidently. In the 10th minute, Ali Al Hamadi scored the opening goal from a corner kick header. Bolivia quickly responded and equalized 1-1 in the 38th minute thanks to Moises Paniagua. However, the turning point came in the second half when Ayman Hussein scored the decisive goal for a 2-1 victory, thereby helping Iraq officially qualify for World Cup 2026.

Iraq's journey is not only a story of resilience and perseverance but also reflects progress through each stage. Notably, the encounters with the Vietnam team also hold significant meaning.

The losses to Iraq were the first official matches under coach Kim Sang Sik as head of the Vietnam team. Although the team later faced difficulties with losses to Russia and Thailand, this period became an important turning point.

From that point, the Vietnam team gradually stabilized and showed clear progress. The team not only won the ASEAN Cup 2024 but also maintained a perfect record in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, demonstrating significant growth.

While Iraq enjoys the reward of a World Cup ticket after a challenging journey, for the Vietnam team, the clashes with this West Asian opponent also played a crucial role in refining the squad and gameplay.

On a broader scale, Iraq's journey somewhat mirrors the path many Asian teams, including Vietnam, are pursuing: perseverance, accumulating experience, and gradually reaching higher levels. World Cup 2026 may not yet be the destination for the Vietnam team, but the lessons from the matches against Iraq will undoubtedly serve as a valuable foundation for future major goals.