Vietnam Thrash Timor-Leste 7-0 in ASEAN Championship Opener; Singapore Edge Cambodia

Defending champions Vietnam launched their ASEAN Championship campaign with a resounding 7-0 victory against Timor-Leste on Friday, July 24, 2026. The dominant performance in Chonburi saw Nguyen Dinh Bac net a crucial hat-trick for coach Kim Sang-sik's squad.

Vietnam established an early lead through Brazil-born forward Do Hoang Hen in the seventh minute. Dinh Bac then extended their advantage in the 31st minute with a skillfully curled shot into the bottom corner. By halftime, Vietnam had built a commanding five-goal lead, with Hoang Hen, Dinh Bac, and Nguyen Xuan Son all contributing to the scoreline. The rout was completed later in the match with an own goal by Timor-Leste's Liam Farrugia after Dinh Bac had secured his hat-trick in the 65th minute.

In another match, Singapore narrowly defeated Cambodia 2-1 in Phnom Penh. Shawal Anuar opened the scoring for Singapore in the 22nd minute, but Cambodia's Ouk Sovann equalized in the 55th minute. The decisive goal came in the 11th minute of stoppage time, courtesy of a spectacular late strike by Ilhan Fandi. Fandi flicked the ball into the air from Song Ui-young's pass and executed an acrobatic finish that left the Cambodian goalkeeper with no chance.