Vietnam, Thailand score huge blowouts in SEA Games men's football

Jaroensak Wonggorn says a prayer of thanksgiving after scoring a goal for Thailand in their Southeast Asian Games men's football match against Brunei at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. Jan Dayrit

By Ivan Saldajeno

BINAN--Vietnam continued to zoom at the top of Group B in the Southeast Asian Games men's football competition after mauling Laos, 6-1, at the Binan Football Stadium on Thursday night.

The Vietnamese side coupled its 6-0 opening night win with another six-goal showing anchored by yet another hat trick, this time from Nguyen Tien Linh.

Nguyen quickly put Vietnam up, 2-0, with goals in the third and the 17th minutes, which turned out to be the goals made for the entire first half.

Do Hung Dung joined Vietnam's scoring barrage in the 54th minute before Nguyen completed his hat trick in the 57th minute.

Vietnamese coach Park Seo-Hang opted to keep his primary keeper, Bui Tien Dung, at the bench in favor of backup netminder Nguyen Van Toan.

Nguyen, however, conceded a Laos goal as Kaharn Phetsivilay sneaked a header into the net in the 61st minute.

That turned out to be the only time Laos scored as Nguyen Trong Hoang made it 5-1 for Vietnam in the 84th minute before Nguyen Quang Hai capped the scoring right before fulltime.

Vietnam remains perfect with six points and a plus-11 goal difference, while Laos remains stuck at one point.

Meanwhile, Thailand vented ire on Brunei with a 7-0 win in a simultaneous clash at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

Two nights after bowing to Indonesia in their tournament opener, Thailand bounced back with a vengeance despite a slow start.

It took 43 minutes before Thailand got to score through a goal from Supachai Jaided, but seconds later, Jaroensak Wonggorn duplicated for the team.

Anon Amornlerdsak continued the Thai barrage in the second half with a 53th minute goal before Sarayut Sompim nailed the team's fourth goal in the 72nd minute.

Suphanat Mueanta nailed Thailand's fifth goal in the 74th minute before Amornlerdsak completed a brace in the 87th minute. Supachok Sarachat drilled in the exclamation point in the 89th minute.

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