SINGAPORE (29 May 2015) – Vietnam made a sumptuous start to their campaign in Group B of the SEA Games 2015 when they made a meal of Brunei with a half dozen goals in the first match of the afternoon at the Bishan Stadium.
In spite of the scorching heat, Vietnam came into the match confident as they nailed the opener after 25 minutes before adding the remainder of the goals in the second half.
“It was a good result. It was just the result that we were looking for,” said Vietnam coach Toshiya Miura after the game.
As early as the third minute, captain Pham Manh Hung tested Brunei goalkeeper Mohd Dani Mohd Ashanuddin with a dipping shot before Ho Ngoc Thang picked up the first yellow card of the Games some fifteen minutes later.
In the 25th minute, Le Thanh Binh finally put Vietnam ahead when he latched on to a cross from Pham Duc Huy.
With the score to Vietnam’s advantage at the half, a corner from Nguyen Cong Phuong just a minute after the restart was slammed into goal by Tran Phi Son.
Vietnam earned a penalty in the 63rd minute for handball but fancy Cong Phuong who tried to chip the ball failed to make it count even though he was the first on the rebound.
In the 75th minute, Vietnam added to the scoreline with a bouncing effort from Mac Hong Quan, as he then turned provider for Pham Duc Huy to score Vietnam’s fourth goal of the game four minutes later.
Cong Phuong finally made the score sheet to capitalize on some bad defending in the 82nd minute as Manh Huong then rounded things off right at the death.
“I thought that we were balanced in the first half. We only conceded that one goal. But the second half was a different story,” quipped Brunei coach Stephen Ng afterwards.
RESULT – 29 May 2015
Brunei 0 Vietnam 6
