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File photo: UAE's Khaled Aldhanhani (R) and North Korea's Kang Kuk Chol (L) fight for the ball during the men's quarter-final football match between United Arab Emirates and North Korea of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 27, 2018. Image Credit: AFP

Jakarta: The UAE beat Vietnam on penalties to win football bronze in Asian Games.

UAE held their nerve to beat Vietnam 4-3 on penalties to win bronze in the penultimate day of the 18th Asian Games on Saturday. Both teams were locked 1-1 at the end of the regulation time.

Ahmad Al Hashmi put UAE in the lead in the 17th minute and the equalizer for Vietnam came in the 27th minute by Quyet Van Nguyen.

In penalties, Ahmad Al Hashmi, Zayed Al Ameri, Khaled Al Dhanhani, Shaheen Al Darmki were on target for UAE. For Vietnam, Thanh van VU, Chinh Duc Ha, Duc van Phan scored while Hai Quang Nguyen and Minh Vuong Tran missed.

Challenges

The UAE’s road to the bronze medal clash was full of challenges. The squak advanced to the knockout stage only as one of the best four third-placed teams.

They then needed penalties to see off Indonesia in the round of 16 and North Korea in the quarter-finals. A solitary late goal by Japan’s Ayase Ueda that sealed UAE’s hopes in the semi-finals.

Though the UAE lost against Japan, the players showed high level of intensity and discipline despite the fatigue that number of players suffered.

The UAE's success in Jakarta can strengthen the team further before the qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which start from March.

Vietnam, on the other hand, had a good run till the semis after topping Group E with a perfect record of three wins.

Before they were defeated by the UAE, Vietnam had not conceded once going into the last-four clash with South Korea.