Vietnam defeat Laos 2-0 in 2023 SE Asian Games men’s football
The Vietnamese, who won the gold medal in men’s football at the delayed 2021 SE Asian Games organized in Hanoi in May 2022, were expected to have an easy game, but they faced strong resistance from their Lao opponents and sometimes stayed in a deadlock at Prince Stadium in Phnom Penh. The junior Golden Stars got off to a great start in the second minute when Nguyen Van Tung headed the ball past Lao goalkeeper Solasak Thilavong into the net, following a good cross from Nguyen Thanh Nhan from the right side. With the early lead, coach Philippe Troussier’s team tried to reduce the match’s tempo, but moments of sloppy defending gave Laos some good chances. The remainder of the first half saw interesting back-and-forth attempts between the two teams. Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Tung celebrates his opening goal in their match against Laos at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, April 30, 2023. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre Despite some good chances created by both sides, notabl