The Indian national football team will face off against hosts Thailand in the King's Cup 2019 third-place playoff match at Buriram on Saturday, June 8. Curacao and Vietnam will lock horns in the final on the same day.

To recall, India lost 3-1 against Curacao in the opening match of the tournament on June 5. Later the same day, Vietnam beat Thailand 1-0 to ensure their involvement in the final. The result set up a India vs Thailand third-place playoff tie - a throwback to India's opening match at the AFC Asian Cup 2019. The Blue Tigers came out with a historic 4-1 winners in that match - which also happened to be their only win of the tournament.

The match between Thailand and Vietnam turned out to be a feisty affair and went right down to the wire. Both teams created a host of chances for the ninety minutes but neither found the all-important goals. With the five minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second-half ticking down, it seemed that the match would go to extra time or a penalty shootout.

The deadlock was finally broken in the dying seconds. Vietnam striker Nguyen Anh Duc connected with a header from the corner, prompting a good save by Thai goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan. The ball ballooned up in the air and eventually ended up inside the Thailand goal, handing Vietnam a dramatic last gasp 1-0 victory.

Related tags:

2018-2019