In the 10th minute of the match between Vietnam and the Philippines in Group B of the 2024 ASEAN Cup (formerly known as the AFF Cup) on the evening of December 18, Vu Van Thanh fell in the opponent's penalty area after a dispute with player Ugelvik of the Philippines.
Initially, referee Akobirxuja Shukurullaev blew the whistle to award a penalty to the Vietnamese team.
However, after consulting VAR, Mr. Akobirxuja Shukurullaev canceled the penalty and allowed the Philippines team to kick the ball up.
Sharing with Lao Dong, former Referee Supervisor of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) - Mr. Doan Phu Tan said that referee Akobirxuja Shukurullaev and the VAR team controlling the match made the correct decision. Mr. Tan said: "The situation did not have a clear impact of a foul, so the referee did not blow the penalty."
Sharing the same opinion with Mr. Doan Phu Tan, a FIFA referee from Vietnam also said that Ugelvik's impact on Vu Van Thanh was not enough for the referee to be able to blow the penalty.
The match against the Philippines directly affects the Vietnamese team's ability to win an early ticket to the semi-finals of the ASEAN Cup 2024. If they win all 3 points on the opponent's field, the Vietnamese team will secure a place in the next round for the 4 strongest teams as the winner of Group B.
