The moment Dinh Bac shone brightly helped Vietnam U22 win against Laos U22.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - U22 Vietnam secured all 3 points in their opening match at the SEA Games 33, but their lackluster performance meant that coach Kim Sang Sik's team had to endure a tough 90 minutes to achieve victory.

Men's football is the opening event at the 33rd SEA Games, and the opening match of the Vietnam U22 team against Laos U22 on December 3rd is seen as the "first shot" for the national sports delegation, marking the beginning of the challenges ahead.

The Vietnam U22 team was considered slightly superior to the Laos U22 team due to their deeper squad and consistent performance throughout the past year. However, against Laos U22, coach Kim Sang Sik's team struggled to secure all three points in their opening match.

Prior to this, coach Kim Sang Sik's players were continuously "tested" through training camps and tours in China and Qatar, leading to their victory in the U23 Southeast Asian Championship and a perfect record in the 2026 U23 Asian Championship qualifiers.

In the 28th minute, Vietnam U22 finally scored the opening goal against Laos U22. From a run down the right wing, Minh Phúc crossed the ball past goalkeeper Lokphathip, setting up Đình Bắc to tap the ball into the empty net, making the score 1-0.

The excitement lasted less than 5 minutes before the Vietnam U22 team unexpectedly conceded a goal. From a corner kick, a Laotian player headed the ball against the crossbar. Khampane was in the right place at the right time, tapping the ball in from close range to equalize in the 33rd minute.

Under the guidance of coach Ha Hyeok Jun, the Laos U22 team displayed an attacking style rarely seen in Laotian football before. Bringing that core squad to the SEA Games 33, coupled with a long training camp in Chonburi, clearly shows that Laos wasn't just playing to learn.

In the 60th minute, the atmosphere at Rajamangala Stadium became more heated than ever when coach Kim Sang Sik lost his temper with the referee after Dinh Bac's goal was disallowed because the referee had previously ruled Quoc Viet offside. The South Korean coach received a yellow card to calm the situation.

On a day when the Vietnam U22 team struggled against their opponent, Dinh Bac became the highlight with a brace. In the 74th minute, Dinh Bac was fouled just outside the penalty area and took the resulting free kick, but the ball went over the crossbar, and the Hanoi Police Club player missed out on a hat-trick.

The U22 Vietnamese players still clearly showed how much effort they put in when facing an opponent who was considered much weaker.

In the remaining minutes of the match, coach Kim Sang Sik's team had a series of opportunities, but the score remained at 2-1.

The match was evenly contested for the entire 90 minutes, right up to the final whistle. Despite winning 2-1 against U22 Laos, U22 Vietnam's performance showed that securing all three points was by no means an easy task.

Despite securing a full three points in their opening match of the SEA Games 33 against U22 Laos, the lackluster performance of coach Kim Sang Sik's team still leaves fans worried about their journey towards the gold medal. In the remaining match, U22 Vietnam will face U22 Malaysia on December 11th.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/khoanh-khac-dinh-bac-toa-sang-giup-u22-viet-nam-thang-u22-lao-20251203190650958.htm