[Result] Vietnam 1-0 Hong Kong: international friendly

Playing unconvincingly, Vietnam beat Hong Kong 1-0 in a friendly match at Lach Tray Stadium thanks to a penalty by Que Ngoc Hai.

In his first match leading the team, coach Philippe Troussier did not register veterans such as Van Toan, Cong Phuong, Van Thanh... U22 Vietnam striker Nguyen Van Tung was placed in the center forward position after an impressive performance, scoring five goals at SEA Games 32. Nguyen Quang Hai started after a long time as a reserve in France and just returned to Vietnam. Before that, Mr. Troussier said Quang Hai needed to make more effort if he wanted to start in the team.

Ngoc Hai shares joy with Tuan Hai after opening the score. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

In the first minutes, Vietnam entered the game with enthusiasm, increasing the tempo of the match and making the opponent seem overwhelmed. However, the shots from outside the box by Tuan Hai or Van Tung were not enough to trouble the Hong Kong defense. On the contrary, the home defense exposed loopholes when they pushed up. In the 21st minute, taking advantage of a poor clearance by the Vietnamese defense, Wing Kai Orr knocked Duy Manh down but could not defeat Van Lam in the face-off.

Hong Kong continued to show progress under coach Jorn Andersen and their ticket to the 2023 Asian Cup did not come by luck. In the 28th minute, Wing Kai Orr once again surpassed Duy Manh. This time, his powerful shot hit the Vietnamese defender's foot, changed direction and hit the crossbar, leaving Van Lam stunned. On the sidelines, coach Troussier was restless with his players' performance. He constantly discussed with his assistant to find ways to adjust tactics.

However, as the match intensified, Vietnam was awarded a controversial penalty. The referee penalized Helio Goncalves for pushing Quang Hai from behind after an unclear high ball challenge in the penalty area. The away players and coach Andersen reacted strongly but could not change this decision. On the penalty spot, Ngoc Hai fooled goalkeeper Tse Ka Wing, helping the home team take the lead.

Van Lam blocked Wing Kai Orr's shot in a one-on-one situation. Photo: Giang Huy

But the lead did not motivate Vietnam to improve their play. The home players were out of sync with each other, despite still being the same players who had worked well under coach Park Hang-seo. This made it difficult for Vietnam to attack against Hong Kong's pressing style. On the other side, Van Lam's goal shook once more when Wong Wai's free kick hit the top of the crossbar.

At the beginning of the second half, Coach Troussier made three consecutive substitutions. New players such as Dinh Thanh Binh, Tuan Tai and Hai Huy joined in. The opportunity to double the gap soon came to the home team when Tuan Hai crossed smoothly, but Van Hau and Thanh Binh could not finish as expected. This was a rare attack by the home team in the second half. Then, also from the left wing, substitute midfielder Khuat Van Khang crossed just as Tuan Hai was rushing in, but was blocked by Ka Wing.

In the 49th minute, Van Lam stood still, watching the ball hit the crossbar of his goal for the third time, this time from a cross from the left wing of a visiting player. The away team continued to cause trouble with a dribble and a low shot from striker Sun Ming Him, but Van Lam caught it. In the middle of the second half, Hong Kong played well, continuously launching long passes in an attempt to break Vietnam's offside trap, but to no avail.

Quang Hai did not leave much of an impression in his first match under coach Troussier. Photo: Lam Thoa

The final highlight of the match was a long-range shot by defender Xuan Manh, who was brought on at the end of the match. His spontaneous left-footed shot forced Ka Wing to fly as far as he could to push the ball off the crossbar. After this block, the Hong Kong goalkeeper was injured and had to leave the field. However, Vietnam could not capitalize on it to score another goal.

Witnessing the lackluster performance of Coach Troussier and his team, many fans left Lach Tray Stadium when the match had more than 20 minutes left. Unlike the exciting atmosphere at the beginning of the match, the audience was only a little excited when the captain of Hai Phong Club - midfielder Hai Huy - was sent onto the field in the second half. For the rest of the time, they did not have many opportunities to cheer or rejoice. Obviously, the Vietnam team under Coach Troussier still has many things to improve if they want to win the trust of the fans.

Quang Huy

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