Gangwon FC is considered the opponent with the highest professional quality among the three teams that coach Kim Sang-sik's team faces in Korea. The K.League 1 representative just drew with the leading team FC Seoul in the most recent round, so it is considered an important test for the Vietnamese team.
In this match, coach Kim Sang-sik continued to take advantage of the opportunity to review the force and test personnel options. The starting lineup consisted mostly of key players and was maintained for about 15 minutes in the first half before the coaching staff changed the entire squad to assess backup options.
The Vietnamese team entered the game proactively and created many opportunities. Right in the 5th minute, Nguyen Xuan Son finished after a quick counter-attack but the ball went over the bar. After that, Do Hoang Hen and Nguyen Hoang Duc also had long-range shots putting pressure on the opponent's goal.
In the 14th minute, Gangwon FC was awarded a penalty after a foul in the penalty area and successfully took advantage of it to open the score.
After conceding a goal, the Vietnamese team continued to maintain an attacking game. In the 21st minute, Nguyen Quang Hai unleashed a technical shot that hit the crossbar.
The efforts of the Vietnamese team were rewarded in the 28th minute. From Nguyen Tai Loc's cross from the wing, Nguyen Xuan Son rushed in and finished neatly, equalizing the score 1-1.
Stepping into the second half, after about 15 minutes of keeping the same squad, the coaching staff successively brought the remaining players onto the field to continue testing the force.
In the 62nd minute, Nguyen Ngoc My had a beautiful curling shot but the Gangwon FC goalkeeper promptly blocked it. Just three minutes later, the Vietnamese team scored to seal the victory. Van Do dribbled the ball on the right wing before crossing favorably for Pham Gia Hung to finish accurately in the penalty area, sealing the score 2-1.
The victory against Gangwon FC helps the Vietnamese team close the training trip in Korea with positive signals. Through three training matches against increasingly quality opponents, the coaching staff has more basis to assess player performance, improve forces and adjust tactics before entering the campaign to defend the ASEAN Cup 2026 championship.
According to the plan, on the morning of July 14, the Vietnamese team will leave Incheon to return to Hanoi. On July 17, the whole team will move to Thai Nguyen to prepare for the international friendly match against Myanmar on July 18. This will be the final general rehearsal before entering the ASEAN Cup 2026.
