Vietnam National Team Starts ASEAN Cup 2026 with 1-0 Victory over Philippines

The Vietnam national team began their ASEAN Cup 2026 campaign with a 1-0 win over the Philippines at a neutral venue in Bandung, Indonesia. The match was played in adverse weather conditions with heavy rain delaying the start and leaving the pitch slippery. With this win, Vietnam secured their first three points in the group stage, setting a favorable foundation for advancing. After the match, head coach Kim Sang Sik honestly admitted that Vietnam's victory was fortunate, stating, "We had a somewhat lucky win. The Philippines played very well and deserved at least a point." His frankness reflected the actual flow of the match. The only goal came from a left-wing attacking move. A long pass from defender Le Pham Thanh Long found debutant Lee Williams Minh Hoang, who combined and delivered a cross into the box. Nguyen Dinh Bac met the delivery with a header; the shot was not powerful but deflected off a defender's leg and wrong-footed the goalkeeper. Vietnam scored in the 23rd minute but gradually lost control afterward. After halftime, the Philippines dominated possession and pressured Vietnam's goal. In the 35th minute, a shot from outside the box hit the crossbar. In the 83rd minute, the Philippines scored from a set piece, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. In another incident, a Philippine player was initially shown a red card, but VAR led to it being reduced to a yellow. Throughout the second half, Vietnamese goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang made several outstanding saves, including a close-range header stop in the final minutes, preserving the narrow lead. The biggest concern was striker Nguyen Xuan Son, considered one of Vietnam's most important players, leaving the pitch in the 60th minute with a calf injury. Coach Kim said, "Initially I thought it was a muscle strain, but after examination, it is a calf tear. I think this injury will not seriously affect his playing career." However, the exact severity and recovery time remain unclear. On a positive note, debutant Lee Williams Minh Hoang, a South Korea-born player of Vietnamese descent, had an impressive debut and directly contributed to the winning goal. Coach Kim praised him as "energetic and an important prospect for the future." A worrying issue was Vietnam's lack of control without captain and central midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc. His absence made it harder for the team to play through the opponent's pressure, raising tactical questions for the next matches. With this win, Vietnam has three points while the Philippines has none. In the next match, Vietnam will face Thailand on September 29, a match expected to decide the group. With Xuan Son injured and facing a strong opponent, a real test awaits.