Summary of Laos 1-4 Vietnam match: Golden Star Warriors have a smooth start
With goals from Hai Long, Tien Linh, Van Toan and Van Vi, the Vietnamese team easily defeated Laos. The home team scored an honorable goal thanks to a penalty.
Vietnam had a convincing victory over Laos in the opening match of Group B of the AFF Cup 2024 at the Laos National Stadium. Although the first half did not go as expected, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team exploded in the second half to take all three points.
Starting lineup
Laos: Xaysavath - Bounphachan, Phoutthavong, Anantaza, Phetdavanh, Chanthavixay, Kydavone, Soukphachan, Chony, Damoth, Sengdaovy.
Vietnam: Nguyen Dinh Trieu - Truong Tien Anh, Do Duy Manh, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Khuat Van Khang - Doan Ngoc Tan, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Hai Long - Bui Vi Hao, Nguyen Tien Linh.
Match Summary
First half: Vietnam deadlocked despite dominating
Right from the first minutes, the Vietnamese team quickly dominated the game with superior ball control. Many opportunities were created but all were missed. Vi Hao and Thanh Chung were the ones with the most dangerous shots, but both could not defeat goalkeeper Xaysavath.
This is the first time since 2008 that Vietnam have failed to score against Laos in the first half of an AFF Cup. However, with his experience, coach Kim Sang-sik made the necessary adjustments during the break.
Second half: Rain of goals
In the 58th minute, the deadlock was broken when Hai Long escaped after a long pass from Bui Tien Dung and finished neatly to open the score. This was the first goal of this young midfielder in the national team shirt, helping him to be more confident in the following situations.
Just 5 minutes later, a mistake by the Lao defense created conditions for Tien Linh to double the gap with a cool cross-angle shot. In the 69th minute, Van Toan scored to raise the score to 3-0 after a beautiful combination with Quang Hai. The 28-year-old striker dribbled past the goalkeeper before putting the ball into the empty net.
The best goal of the match came in the 82nd minute, when Van Vi made a powerful volley from outside the penalty area, raising the score to 4-0. This was also the first goal of this young defender in the national team shirt.
In the 90+4 minute, goalkeeper Dinh Trieu's mistake led to a penalty for Laos. Captain Bounphachan took advantage of the opportunity to score an honorary goal, ending a 26-year streak of not being able to score against Vietnam in official tournaments.
Highlights and lessons
The 4-1 victory was a favorable start for the Vietnamese team's journey to conquer the AFF Cup 2024. Newcomers like Hai Long and Van Vi shined, while stars like Tien Linh and Van Toan continued to affirm their worth.
However, defensive errors, especially in situations leading to penalties, need to be corrected to avoid unnecessary risks in upcoming important matches.
With this victory, Vietnam temporarily leads Group B and is ready to move on to the next challenges.
