HANOI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam whitewashed Cambodia 3-0 here on Saturday, topping Group A and winning a berth in the semifinals of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship.
Within three minutes before the break, two Vietnamese strikers netted twice, and 16 minutes into the second half, a midfielder extended the lead, sealing the victory of 3-0 for the host team.
Nguyen Tien Linh scored the opening goal with a blitz header from close range in the 39th minute, Nguyen Quang Hai doubled the lead in the 41st minute with a powerful low shot just outside the box, and Phan Van Duc defeated the Cambodian goalie in the 61st minute with a strong shot outside the penalty area.
All the three goals came from quick and smooth combinations among Vietnamese players who had an upper hand throughout the game, especially in the second half when the Vietnamese goalkeeper almost had nothing to do.
During the game, Vietnamese players delivered a total of 12 shots or headers to the goal. In other words, the Cambodian goalie succeeded in blocking them nine times.
"Today we had to face a leading candidate for the championship, a too strong team," Felix Dalmas, Argentine coach of the Cambodian team, stated at a press briefing after the match.
At the briefing, Vietnam's coach Park Hang-seo from South Korea said:"Vietnam's national team will have seven days to prepare for the first leg of their semi-finals. I believe that everything will be fine."
With the triumph at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday, Vietnam has grabbed 10 points, maintained their winning streak, and kept their net totally clean since the biennial tournament kicked off on Nov. 8.
Vietnam will clash the team who will rank the second in Group B. The tournament is scheduled to wrap up on Dec. 15. Enditem
