It was not difficult for the defending champions to overwhelm Malaysia from the first minutes of the match.
Striker Pham Hai Yen opened Vietnam’s account in the fifth minute. From Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy’s right-wing pass, Yen found the back of the net. The Hanoian has now scored in four SEA Games in a row since 2017. It was her 40th international goal.
Another chance came to Vietnam in the 16th minute. Nguyen Thi My Anh popped up in the penalty area and shot, but the ball hit the crossbar. Yen got on the rebound and forced an excellent save from goalkeeper Ezza Razak.
Vietnam threatened the goal again, as Duong Thi Van passed smoothly from the right wing before captain Huynh Nhu released the ball to Yen for the finish. The Malaysian goalkeeper was helpless, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out.
In the 24th minute, Bich Thuy doubled the score for the Vietnamese side. Nhu set up Thuy for the finish, who gave the goalkeeper no chance.
Malaysia were on the backfoot and pinned in their half, while Vietnam calmly dictated the pace of the game.
The victory over Malaysia helps Vietnam temporarily rise to the top of Group A. On May 6, Vietnam will face Myanmar.
Meanwhile, in the other match at the same time, Thailand easily beat Singapore 4-0 to go top of Group B.
