South Korean newspaper: 'Kim Sang-sik helps Vietnam win 7-0 in Hyundai Cup opener'

Coach Kim Sang-sik has begun his campaign to claim the AFF Hyundai Cup 2026 title for the second straight year.

The Chosun South Korea assessed: The Vietnam national team, under the guidance of Coach Kim Sang-sik, crushed Timor-Leste 7-0 in their Group A opener of the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 at Daikin Stadium in Chonburi, Thailand, on July 24, securing their first victory.

Vietnam aims to defend their title after winning in 2024. As the reigning champions, they began the group stage against Timor-Leste, before facing Singapore, Indonesia, and Cambodia in turn on their quest for a second consecutive championship.

Ranked 99th in the FIFA World Rankings, Vietnam is the second-highest ranked team in Southeast Asia, behind Thailand (94th). Meanwhile, Timor-Leste is ranked 201st in the world, among the lowest in Asia.

As expected, the gap in quality between the two sides was enormous. Vietnam opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match. Do Hoang Hen, a Brazilian-born player who naturalized in Vietnam, scored the first goal.

In the seventh minute of the first half, Hoang Hen capitalized on a defensive error by Timor-Leste, firing a left-footed shot from inside the box. The ball went through a gap between two defenders before flying straight into the net.

Vietnam continued to add goals. In the 31st minute, a pass broke the offside trap. Nguyen Dinh Bac broke through and curled a right-footed shot into the Timor-Leste net. Vietnam led 2-0 and effectively sealed the match early.

In the 41st minute, Hoang Hen scored his second goal, making it 3-0. Just two minutes later, Nguyen Dinh Bac completed his brace. With a goal from another Brazilian-born player, Nguyen Xuan Son, Vietnam led 5-0 at halftime.

Nguyen Dinh Bac completed his hat-trick with his third goal in the 65th minute. Nguyen Quang Hai scored Vietnam's seventh goal in the 79th minute.

Before the match, Coach Kim Sang-sik said: "Winning the AFF Championship for the first time as head coach of the Vietnam national team in 2024 remains one of the most unforgettable moments in my football career. Let us all unite and once again write a new chapter for Vietnamese football."

Thus, Coach Kim Sang-sik showed his determination to win the title for the second consecutive time.

After a favorable start, Vietnam will play their second match against Singapore on July 31.