AFC U-23 Qualifiers: Group I - Korea Pub. 10-0 Macau / Vietnam 4-0 Timor-Leste

USPA NEWS - Ho Chi Minh City, July 19th, 2017 - U-23 Korea Republic proved too strong for U-23 Macau as they began their AFC U-23 Championship Group I qualifying campaign with a 10-0 win at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh city. A heavy downpour failed to stop hosts U23 Vietnam as they registered a 4-0 win over U23 Timor-Leste in their opening match.

Korea Republic proved too strong for Macau as they began their AFC U-23 Championship Group I qualifying campaign with a 10-0 win at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh on Wednesday.

Korea only had to wait 10 minutes for the first goal as striker Cho Young Wook scored with a header off a corner kick.

Three minutes later, Cho scored his second off a counter attack, outpacing two defenders before slotting past the Macau goalkeeper.

Korea were in full control and Cho completed his hat-trick in the 24th minute, after receiving a good pass from Park Seongbu. It was 4-0 five minutes later as midfielder Hwang Inbeom scored from long range.

Korea continued their high tempo game in the second half as Doo Hyeonseok (52nd),Seongbu (55th, penalty) and Young Wook (56th) piled on the goals.

After a brief respite, Sung Wook made it 8-0 in the 68th minute with a header and Seongbu completed his hat-trick in the 80th. Defender Park Jaewoo completed Korea's emphatic start with the final goal in stoppage time.

A heavy downpour failed to stop hosts Vietnam as they registered a 4-0 win over Timor-Leste in their opening AFC U-23 Championship Group I qualifying tie at the Thong Nhat Stadium on Wednesday.

With Korea Republic having scored a 10-0 win over Macau in the group's opening tie earlier, Vietnam went in search of goals too, pressuring Timor-Leste from the first whistle.

It was, however, Timor-Leste who came close to scoring first when an effort by Monteiro beat Vietnam goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung, but a puddle in front of the goalmouth saved the hosts.

That was the spur Vietnam needed, however, and striker Ha Duc Chinh scored their opening goal in the 17th minute when he capitalised on a mistake by the Timor-Leste defenders.

In the second half, Vietnam started to play with more ease as the weather conditions improved and striker Nguyen Cong Phuong scored the second goal in the 67th minute with a shot from just outside the penalty box.

Four minutes later, Cong Phuong scored his second and in the 85th minute, midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh hit home from 20 metres to round off a good day for Vietnam.

Nguyen Huu Thang (Vietnam Coach) "Our play was not like what we wanted but it was because of the bad weather. But I am satisfied with players' spirit, they tried their best to play well and keep good concentration. I agree that we were lucky when the puddle denied Timor-Leste a goal. We played better in the second half because of the better weather conditions and we could have scored more than four goals if my players did not waste many chances. I don´t want to comment about Nguyen Cong Phuong individually but his two goals are really good for him and the team. I believe that our team will be stronger with midfielder Luong Xuan Truong back for the next game." (Source: The AFC)