Group A: Vietnam ease past Laos
LAOS 0
VIETNAM 3
(Vu Minh Tuan 27, Le Cong Vinh 84, Nguyen Huy Hung 88)
Vietnam edged closer to qualifying for the semi-final stage of the Suzuki Cup with a 3-0 victory over Laos.
The hosts took the lead at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi when Le Tan Tai threaded a pinpoint through ball to Vu Minh Tuan, whose final touch diverted the ball into the net in the 27th minute.
While the Red Jerseys dominated the game, their lack of finishing forced them to wait until the 84th minute to add to their lead.
Laos goalkeeper Seng Athit Somvang saved a shot from Tai but could only parry the ball to Le Cong Vinh, who duly tapped in to score his second goal of the tournament.
Nguyen Huy Hung sealed the result four minutes later after he converted a well-worked cross from Nguyen Van Quet.
The win puts Vietnam in the driving seat to advance to the next round, needing only a draw against the Philippines on Friday to confirm their place in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Laos became the first team to be eliminated from the competition and will have to get a result against Indonesia to ensure they do not head for home pointless.
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