Vietnam U23 defeat Thailand 3-0 in Gia Lai VTV Cup opener
VOV.VN - Vietnam U23 won 3-0 against Thailand in their opening match of the international friendly tournament Gia Lai VTV Cup 2026 at Pleiku stadium in Gia Lai province on November 10.
Minh Tam scored a first-half brace before Williams Minh Hoang sealed the win for head coach Dinh Hong Vinh's team from the penalty spot late in the second half.
Vietnam entered the match with high tempo, pressing forward from the opening whistle. The home side converted their dominance in the 19th minute when Minh Tam directed a precision header into the top corner from a well-worked attack to open the scoring.
Following the opener, Vietnam maintained pressure and tested the Thai defense multiple times. In the 45th minute, after a series of saved attempts by Thai goalkeeper Sirassawut, Minh Tam connected with a powerful header that struck the post before entering the net to double the lead.
Thailand pushed forward in the second half to seek a goal but struggled against a solid Vietnamese defense. Home goalkeeper Van Binh made a key save in the 61st minute, pushing away a dangerous free kick from Siradanai.
Head coach Dinh Hong Vinh introduced substitutes in the closing stage to refresh the squad and maintain play.
In the 85th minute, substitute Gia Bao won a penalty after being fouled in the box by goalkeeper Sirassawut. Williams Minh Hoang converted the spot kick two minutes later, rounding off the 3-0 victory.
Vietnam U23 to compete for US$100,000 prize at Gia Lai VTV Cup 2026
VOV.VN - The Vietnam U23 team will face Thailand, Qatar and Singapore at the Gia Lai VTV Cup 2026 during the FIFA Days in November, with the champions set to receive US$100,000.
