Hai Long scored a super goal, Vietnam team dramatically won Cambodia
Midfielder Nguyen Hai Long shone with a beautiful long-range shot, contributing greatly to the dramatic victory of the Vietnamese team against Cambodia.
On the evening of March 19, at Go Dau Stadium (Binh Duong province), the Vietnamese team had a friendly match with the Cambodian team. This was an opportunity for coach Kim Sang-sik to test the squad and check the players' performance before entering the important matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
On the other side of the front line, the Cambodian team also saw this match as an opportunity to compete with a strong opponent. Coach Koji Gyotoku deployed a squad consisting of many young players combined with key players with the aim of creating a surprise.
Before this match,Vietnam teamhas an overwhelming record when facing Cambodia. In recent encounters, the red team often wins with a difference in score.
Entering the match, the Vietnamese team started cautiously, actively controlling the ball and launching attacks from both sides. In the 6th minute, both teams still had no notable situations as they were still probing each other's playing style.
In the 11th minute, the Vietnamese team had the first dangerous opportunity. Doan Ngoc Tan decided to shoot from a distance but the ball went high above the goal. After many efforts, the opening goal came in the 25th minute for the Vietnamese team. Hai Long executed a superb free kick from 25m away, sending the ball spiraling into the A corner, leaving the Cambodian goalkeeper completely helpless.
Just a few minutes later, the Vietnamese team doubled the gap. In the 34th minute, Van Vi entered the field and immediately left his mark. He took advantage of the chaotic situation in front of the Cambodian goal, tapping the ball close to the goal to raise the score to 2-0.
In the final minutes of the first half, Vietnam continued to put pressure. In the 42nd minute, Van Thanh volleyed from the second line but the ball missed the target. The first half ended with a 2-0 advantage for the Vietnamese team.
In the second half, coach Kim Sang-sik made some personnel adjustments to save the strength of the pillars and test new tactical options. Although Vietnam did not attack as aggressively as in the first half, they still maintained control of the ball and minimized dangerous situations from Cambodia.
The Vietnamese team maintained the tempo of the match with solidity in the midfield. Hoang Duc, Hai Long and Van Khang continued to distribute the ball, creating opportunities to attack on both wings.
In the 58th minute, a situation that made Vietnamese fans worried when Hoang Duc suddenly got hurt after slipping. It seemed like he had a slight muscle strain, but luckily he was able to continue playing after being treated by doctors.
In the 64th minute, the Cambodian team unexpectedly reduced the score to 1-2. From a quick counter-attack, player Bong Samuel took a long shot from a distance of nearly 25m, defeating Vietnam goalkeeper Dinh Trieu.
After conceding the goal, the Vietnamese team proactively slowed down the match, focused on controlling the ball and preserving the score. Although Cambodia tried to attack to find an equalizer, the Vietnamese defense played with concentration, not allowing the opponent to have any more dangerous opportunities.
The match ended with a 2-1 victory for the Vietnamese team. This is an important step forward for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team before entering the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup./.
