Phạm Xuân Mạnh celebrates Việt Nam's second goal in the friendly match against Myanmar on Saturday. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

Anh Đức

THÁI NGUYÊN — With only one week to go until the 2026 ASEAN Championship begin, defending champions Việt Nam treated fans in the newly-built Thái Nguyên Stadium with a convincing 4-0 victory in the friendly against Myanmar on Saturday.

Goals from Nguyễn Xuân Son, Phạm Xuân Mạnh, Đỗ Hoàng Hên and Nguyễn Đình Bắc have shown the might of ASEAN's top national football team.

Việt Nam, for the first time in history, started three naturalised players up front, all Brazilians, with Đỗ Hoàng Hên (Hendrio) and Nguyễn Tài Lộc (Geovane) playing behind Nguyễn Xuân Son (Rafaelson) in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Another foreign face gets his first start, as Overseas Vietnamese player Patrik Lê Giang plays in goal.

The Golden Star Warriors started the match strongly, opening the score in the fifth minute. Kim Sang-sik's three naturalised strikers combined for the opener, with Hoàng Hên's cross reaching Tài Lộc, who set up Xuân Son to fire a one-touch volley into the bottom corner of Myanmar's net.

After a period of tit-for-tat plays from both teams, Việt Nam came out on top with a second goal in the 39th minute. From a corner on the left, Trương Tiến Anh found an unmarked Xuân Mạnh, who easily headed the ball into the back of the net, as all of Myanmar's attention was stuck in Xuân Son. The goal ended the first half for Kim Sang-sik's team with a convincing 2-0 lead.

Việt Nam's third goal was again a thing of beauty. Just before the hour mark, Đỗ Hoàng Hên, with all the time and space in the world, was able to fire a powerful shot from around 25 metres. The low shot was precise and quick, and went to the bottom corner of the net, giving keeper Sann Satt Naing zero chance. The goal was Hên's first ever goal for Việt Nam.

With a comfortable lead, coach Kim sought to experiment and switched to a 4-2-4 formation by bringing on Đình Bắc and Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh in place of Nguyễn Nhật Minh and Nguyễn Thành Chung.

In the 89th minute, substitute Đình Bắc was brought down inside the penalty area by Kyaw Min Oo, and the referee pointed to the spot. Min Oo was then sent off with a second yellow card, and Đình Bắc dispatched the spot kick confidently, with a powerful shot into the top of the net, ending the match with a 4-0 win for Việt Nam.

The Golden Star Warriors will play their first match in the 2026 ASEAN Championship on July 24 against Timor Leste in Chonburi. — VNS