On the afternoon of July 5, the Vietnamese national team had their first training match in a training trip in Incheon (Korea), facing Siheung FC - a team playing in K.League 3. This is an important test in the preparation process of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team towards the ASEAN Cup 2026.
True to the goal of reviewing the force, the Korean coach used two different squads for each half to create conditions for all players to play to show their ability. Notably, the trio of naturalized players including Nguyen Xuan Son, Do Hoang Hen and Nguyen Tai Loc were brought on in the second half with the main players.
The match took place under heavy rain that appeared right after the opening whistle and lasted for about the first 15 minutes. However, weather conditions did not significantly affect the playing style as well as the coaching staff's test plan.
The Vietnamese team soon created an advantage when Viet Cuong opened the score in the 2nd minute with a beautiful curling shot from his right foot. After the early goal, coach Kim Sang-sik's students controlled the game and continuously created effective attacking combinations.
In the 31st minute, Hai Long doubled the gap with a technical finish after a well-organized combination. In the 39th minute, this midfielder completed a double with a close-range finish after an assist from Viet Cuong, helping the Vietnamese team close the first half with a 3-0 lead.
In the second half, coach Kim Sang-sik replaced the entire squad to continue evaluating personnel options. The quick adjustments were effective when Do Hoang Hen scored to increase the score to 4-0 in the 48th minute.
Four minutes later, Nguyen Xuan Son had a breakthrough before assisting Hoang Hen to complete a double, bringing the gap to 5 goals.
In the remaining time, the Vietnamese team continued to maintain pressure. Dinh Bac once hit the post in the 61st minute, while Truong Tien Anh and Nguyen Van Vi also created many notable opportunities. In the 83rd minute, Dinh Bac accelerated past the opponent's defender before finishing accurately, sealing a 6-0 victory.
In addition to the positive results, the match also helped the coaching staff have more basis to assess the ability to operate the squad as well as the integration of new factors, especially the group of naturalized players, before entering the next tests.
According to the plan, the Vietnamese national team will continue to train in Incheon and have a second practice match against Yongin FC, a team playing in K.League 2, on July 8. This is considered a higher-quality professional test for coach Kim Sang-sik to complete the squad towards the ASEAN Cup 2026.
