OFFICIAL: Vietnam national team to face West Asian opponent at Asian Cup finals

Yemen earned a convincing 2-0 victory over Lebanon in the decisive Group B fixture of the 2027 Asian Cup final qualifiers. That win gave Yemen a place in the tournament's final stage, where they will meet Vietnam in Group E.

In the early hours of June 5 (Vietnam time), Yemen claimed a crucial 2-0 win against Lebanon in the final Group B match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Striker Nasser Al Gahwashi shone with a brace, helping the West Asian side officially qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals held in Saudi Arabia.

Entering the match needing a win to advance, Yemen pushed forward aggressively from the opening whistle. In the 7th minute, Nasser Al Gahwashi fired a dangerous free kick, but Lebanon goalkeeper Mostafa Matar was alert to make the save.

Although only a draw was required to progress, Lebanon did not adopt a defensive approach. Captain Mohamad Haidar created a notable chance from a corner, but Leonardo Shahin's header went narrowly wide of the target.

The match was lively with end-to-end exchanges. In the 33rd minute, Al Gahwashi put the ball into Lebanon's net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Just two minutes later, Haidar responded with a fine volley from outside the box, but the ball flew over the crossbar.

After the break, both teams maintained a tight contest. In the 60th minute, Jeme Kazan unleashed a troublesome shot that forced Yemen goalkeeper Mohammed Aman to make a fine save.

The match's turning point arrived in the 62nd minute. From an unsafe header by Walid Shour, Adel Abbas quickly pounced on the opportunity to set up Nasser Mohammedoh. The striker finished with a clever shot past goalkeeper Mostafa Matar to open the scoring for Yemen.

Lebanon nearly equalized just two minutes later when Shahin broke through one-on-one, but defender Harwan Al Zuabidi made an excellent intervention to rescue Yemen.

As Lebanon pushed forward in search of an equalizer, Yemen delivered the decisive blow in the 90th minute. Receiving a well-timed through ball from Mamdooh Saleh, Nasser Mohammedoh sprinted through and finished precisely, completing his brace and sealing a 2-0 victory.

With this result, Yemen finished the qualifiers top of Group B with 14 points, officially securing a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals after missing out on the 2023 edition. In the final tournament, Yemen will be placed in Group E alongside Vietnam, South Korea, and the UAE.