REPORT: VIETNAM 3-0 MYANMAR

A Kyaw Zin Lwin own goal put Park Hang-seo’s Vietnam in front inside 10 minutes before Nguyen Tien Linh doubled the hosts’ advantage shortly before the half hour to give his side a commanding lead at the break.

Chau Ngoc Quang added a third from distance as the game entered its final 20 minutes as Vietnam played out a comfortable victory to line up a semi-final date against Indonesia.

Needing three points to confirm top spot in the standings, the Golden Star Warriors broke the deadlock in the eighth minute following a fine flowing move.

Captain Do Hung Dung switched the play from right to left, where Doan Van Hau’s lovely first-time pass found Nguyen Van Quyet whose low cross was diverted into his own net by Kyaw Zin Lwin under pressure from Pham Tuan Hai.

But Vietnam were unusually shaky at the back and a mix up between Do Duy Manh and goalkeeper Dang Van Lam saw Lin Htet Soe presented with a clear sight of goal from 50 yards out, but his long-range effort bounced agonisingly wide of the left post as the out-of-position Van Lam breathed a sigh of relief as he raced back towards his area.

Park’s side doubled their advantage in the 27th minute when Myanmar goalkeeper Tun Nanda Oo failed to collect Van Hau’s cross from the left touchline and the ball fell kindly at the feet of Tien Linh to allow him to tap in his third goal of the tournament.

Vietnam started the second half on the front foot and Van Quyet had a sight on goal in the 48th minute but headed substitute Phan Van Duc’s chipped cross from the right over the bar from 10 yards out.

Van Hau’s fizzing effort forced Tun Nanda Oo into a save in the 55th minute as one-way traffic ensued and Vietnam then made it three in the 73rd minute to put the three points beyond doubt.

Substitute Nguyen Hoang Duc played the ball into Ngoc Quang, who had been introduced at the interval, and with the Myanmar defence affording the midfielder time and space to line up a shot, he duly accepted and fired home a beautiful effort from 25 yards out for his first international goal.

Hoang Duc curled a late attempt just over before Van Quyet raced through on goal in stoppage time but got the ball stuck between his feet with only the goalkeeper to beat. There was still time for Tuan Hai to miss another excellent opportunity as he latched onto a through ball and rounded Tun Nanda Oo, only for the back-tracking Hein Htet Aung to clear the striker’s goalbound effort.

Vietnam will set off for Jakarta tomorrow as they prepare to take on Indonesia in the first leg of the semi-final on Friday before returning to Hanoi for the second leg on January 9.

Photo: Tuan Huu