Defending champions Vietnam sealed top place in Group A with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Cambodia in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, thanks to a brilliant brace by forward Nguyễn Đình Bắc on Friday.
The 21-year-old Đình Bắc produced two moments of brilliance in the 18th and 89th minutes respectively in Hanoi to take his tournament tally to five goals as the Golden Star Warriors marched into the semi-finals with three wins and a draw in the group phase.
Cambodia made it a gallant fight by equalising in the 71st minute at the Mỹ Đình National Stadium through substitute Iago Bento Fernandes but an own goal by Im Vakhim in the 84th minute followed by Đình Bắc’s second of the night sealed all three points for Kim Sang-sik’s team.
Captain Nguyễn Quang Hải returned to the starting line-up for the only change in the Vietnamese side but it was the visitors who enjoyed the first threat at goal in the 14th minute.
Samuel Bong cleverly nicked the ball from Nguyễn Thành Chung’s possession from just outside the box but in haste skied his attempt with goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang at his mercy.
The missed opportunity proved costly as four minutes later, the hosts struck. After receiving a pass from Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, Đình Bắc brilliantly turned away from Hikaru Mizuno, and with a burst of speed, he left two defenders in his wake before shooting past a hapless Salim Koy.
Đình Bắc was presented with another goalscoring chance a few minutes later when he pounced on a defensive lapse but his right-footed attempt went straight to a grateful Salim.
By now, the defending champions were putting on a show for their fans with their fast-flowing brand of attacking football. Lê Phạm Thành Long was next to unleash a curler in the 26th minute which sailed over the bar while Salim produced a fine block to snuff out Quang Hải’s attempt after being put through by Đình Bắc in the 37th minute.
Cambodia made two changes at the start of the second half, and substitute Iago Bento found himself with a scoring chance in the 55th minute but an alert Phạm Xuân Mạnh was quick to clear the danger.
Vietnam could have given themselves a bigger cushion when Đình Bắc outpaced Sovann Ouk on the left flank to release a cross to Trương Tiến Anh but his attempt blazed just over the crossbar in the 56th minute.
Iago Bento wasn’t to be denied in the 71st minute. He outpaced Xuân Mạnh to latch onto a long ball from deep in his own half and unleashed a left-footed shot for a well-deserved Cambodian equaliser.
However, Vietnam regained the lead in the 84th minute when Im Vakhim steered the ball into his own net while trying to clear an attempt by Nguyễn Xuân Son before Đình Bắc gleefully lobbed over Salim late in the match.
Hyundai Player of the Match - Nguyễn Đình Bắc (#9), Vietnam
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