Nation trounce Myanmar in U21 opener

Viet Nam defeated Myanmar 2-0 in the opening match of the International Under-21 Football Tournament yesterday in the coastal city of Nha Trang.

Striker Nguyen Dinh Hiep netted both goals for Viet Nam in the 53rd and 79th minutes of the match dominated strongly by the host team.

Snatching advantage from his position in the box, Hiep opened the score with a perfect header from a corner kick.

In an attempt to convert a passing ball to a goal Vietnamese captain Quang Hai was fouled by Myanmar”s Nay Hliang in the box. Hiep ensured the resulting penalty doubled Viet Nam”s goal tally.

It was a difficult match for the visitors who were forced to train in their hotel because of the bad weather and had no chance to get familiar with the stadium.

The waterlogged pitch made their rare passes and shots inaccurate, creating a powerless assault against the Vietnamese side.

But despite Viet Nam”s win, it was a disappointing match for talented striker Quang Hai. Although holder of the Best Scorer title of the national U21 tournament, Hai missed at least five chances to net the ball.

Viet Nam top the tournament with three points, followed by participating countries Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar.

Tomorrow the hosts will face Singapore who lost 4-3 to Thailand yesterday. Viet Nam will play Thailand on Sunday.

The tournament, also known as Thanh Nien (Young People) Newspaper Cup, has been recognised by the Asian Football Confederation as a new international championship for younger players in the region.

“The competition is intended to provide an opportunity for young footballers to improve their skills and possibly get scouted for the national team,” deputy editor-in-chief of Thanh Nien newspaper Dang Thanh said.

VNS