Vietnam start ASEAN Championship campaign with 4-1 win against Laos

Vietnam’s national football team started their journey at the 2024 ASEAN Championship with a 4 - 1 win against Laos at the New Laos National Stadium in Vientiane on December 9.

Goals from Nguyen Hai Long, Nguyen Tien Linh, Nguyen Van Toan and Nguyen Van Vi secured victory for the Golden Star Warriors, with Laos getting a consolation goal courtesy of Bounphachan Bounkong's penalty.

The three points were expected, but the somewhat disappointing performance in the first half was not and leaves talking points both within the team and among fans.

Head coach Kim Sang-sik, in his first match at the ASEAN Championship, gave chances to newcomers such as keeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu, midfielders Nguyen Hai Long and Doan Ngoc Tan, with stars such as Nguyen Quang Hai, Pham Tuan Hai and Vu Van Thanh supposedly rested for a much harder encounter against Indonesia on December 15 in Phu Tho province.

In a difficult pitch condition at the New Laos National Stadium, Vietnam were forced away from a short passing game and instead opted for long balls upfront, and crosses from the wings. The first dangerous chance went the way of Bui Vi Hao, who was perfectly placed for a goal in the sixth minute, but the 21-year-old's header went just over the bar.

Ha Hyeon-jun's Laos was evidently different from their past iterations. With the home fans by their side, the team in red played a high-pressing game that startled the Vietnamese defenders, troubling Kim Sang-sik's men and forcing the away team from completing their build-up.

The long ball game created some chances, and although Vietnam had shots on goal in the first half, none of them were dangerous enough and Laos stayed strong to keep the first half goalless.

Coach Kim brought on Nguyen Van Vi in the second half, a change that brought the energy that Vietnam lacked in the first half.

But it took 15 minutes for Vietnam to open the scoring, and in no fancy teamwork fashion: A long ball from the back found Nguyen Hai Long, who surprisingly entered the box and fired a wonderful left-footed volley.

The opener, along with the introduction of stars such as Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Van Toan sparked life into Vietnam. However, it also startled the Laotian defence, who had been so strong until Hai Long's opener.

A clumsy mistake in the 65th minute by a Laotian defender just outside the box gifted the ball to Nguyen Tien Linh, who accepted the gift gracefully with a simple left-footed shot and doubled Vietnam's lead.

Just six minutes later, another mistake from Laos gifted the ball to substitute Nguyen Van Toan, whose pace was too much for the Laotian defence to catch. The No.9 striker fired a powerful shot into the bottom left corner to make it 3 - 0.

A tired Laos team struggled to keep hold of the ball, and fell victim to a fourth goal late on in the half. In the 85th minute, Nguyen Quang Hai's corner was cleared away, but the rebound found Nguyen Van Vi, whose volley from just outside the box was too much for keeper Xaysavath Souvanhansok.

Further drama and a historic moment were made in the fifth minute of added time, as VAR granted the first penalty of the tournament after captain Do Duy Manh's foul inside the box against Bounphachan Bounkong was checked by the referee, who pointed to the spot after reviewing the incident on the monitor.

Bounkong took the penalty himself and scored the first-ever goal by Laos against Vietnam in the competition's history.

With this victory, Vietnam went atop Group B of the ASEAN Championship on goal difference, as Indonesia was only able to get a 1 - 0 victory away in Myanmar.

Both Vietnam and Indonesia will clash heads on December 15 in Phu Tho in a crucial game that could decide the tournament for both teams./.