However, Vietnam then staged a unexpected fightback, first with Nguyễn Đình Bắc's reverse header to equalise in the 16th minute, before a perfect set-piece attack from Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh saw Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki mishandle the ball to allow Phạm Tuấn Hải to convert into the empty net, giving Vietnam a 2–1 lead in the 33rd minute.
Meanwhile, Vietnam became the first national team since Turkey in September 2023 (who also lost 4–2) to score two goals against Japan, but the first since Colombia in March of the same year to take the lead against the Japanese.
Indonesia would reply twenty minutes later, when Asnawi Mangkualam gave the ball to Yakob Sayuri, who then made a one-two play with Ivar Jenner, who took advantage of Iraq's free left side to deliver a lethal cross for Marselino Ferdinan to strike an equaliser.
Jasim then took a powerful shot, and although it was initially denied by goalkeeper Ernando Ari, it deflected wide enough to allow Osama Rashid to score to regain Iraq's lead.
Iraq quickly applied pressure against a disorganised Japanese side in the first minutes, and it paid off when Ahmed Yahya received a pinpoint heading pass from Aymen Hussein which was quickly delivered to Ali Jasim, who snuck into the Japanese penalty area before putting in an impressive cross; despite initially being kept out by goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, the ball rebounded right to Hussein, who then converted a header to open the scoring for Iraq.
Japan increased pressure in the second half, but couldn't respond with a goal until the third minute of stoppage time, when Wataru Endō converted from a header via a corner kick.
At the same time, this was the second consecutive tournament in which Japan lost during their second matchday, having suffered a 1–0 defeat to Costa Rica at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
At the first minute of the second half's extra time, Lê Phạm Thành Long fouled Marselino Ferdinan near Vietnam's penalty area as Ferdinand was pulling a phase against an almost empty Vietnamese defense, resulting in his second yellow card and dismissal.
Despite Sandy Walsh scored a goal in stoppage time by pulling one back from an erroneous header by Takumi Minamino through Pratama Arhan long throw-in, it proved too late as Japan triumphed to finish second of the group.
Following Kyrgyzstan and Oman falling to a 1–1 draw, Indonesia managed to advance past the Asian Cup group stage for the first time ever.
In terms of the ASEAN Football Federation, Indonesia's success equalled the record of three AFF teams in the Asian Cup knockout stage set four years previously.
However, Vietnam were reduced to ten men after Khuất Văn Khang appeared to have kicked the back of Merchas Doski at the sixth minute of extra time.
Iraq capitalised from this advantage when the game restarted at the 47th minute when from a corner, Rebin Sulaka struck a header to equalise and sending raucous Iraqi fans to celebrate.
Despite the spirited fight back, Vietnam ended up setting a dismal record as the fourth national team from the ASEAN Football Federation to not register a single point at the Asian Cup group stage, after Thailand in 1996 and 2004, Malaysia in 2007, and the Philippines in 2019; this result also meant Australia were the only national team from the AFF to had never been eliminated at the group stage.