South Korea, 13 July 2026 – Vietnam National Team ended its training camp in Incheon on a positive note after securing a 2-1 victory over K League 1 side Gangwon FC on the afternoon of July 13.
Gangwon FC were regarded as the strongest of Vietnam’s three opponents during the South Korea camp. Before facing Kim Sang-sik’s team, the club had held K League 1 leaders FC Seoul to a draw in their most recent league fixture.
The match provided head coach Kim Sang-sik with another valuable opportunity to assess his squad and refine his personnel options ahead of the AFF ASEAN Cup 2026. Most of Vietnam’s key players were named in the starting lineup and remained on the pitch until around 15 minutes into the second half. The coaching staff then replaced the entire lineup to test alternative combinations and evaluate the squad’s depth.
Vietnam began brightly and created several promising openings. In the fifth minute, Nguyen Xuan Son fired over the crossbar after a quick counterattack. Do Hoang Hen and Nguyen Hoang Duc also tested the Gangwon defense with long-range efforts soon afterwards.
Despite Vietnam’s positive start, Gangwon FC took the lead in the 14th minute. The Korean side were awarded a penalty following a foul inside the box and converted the spot kick to make it 1-0.
Vietnam responded by pushing higher up the pitch. Nguyen Quang Hai came close to equalizing in the 21st minute with a well-struck effort that crashed against the crossbar.
The equalizer eventually arrived seven minutes later. Nguyen Tai Loc delivered an accurate cross from the flank, allowing Nguyen Xuan Son to make a well-timed run and finish from close range to level the score at 1-1.
Kim Sang-sik kept most of his starting team on the field for the opening 15 minutes of the second half before gradually introducing the remaining players.
Nguyen Ngoc My nearly put Vietnam ahead in the 62nd minute with a curling right-footed shot, but the Gangwon goalkeeper produced an excellent save.
Vietnam found the decisive goal three minutes later. After an impressive run down the right by Van Do, the ball was played into the penalty area for Gia Hung, who finished accurately to seal a 2-1 victory.
The result allowed Vietnam to conclude their South Korea camp with further encouraging signs. After nearly three weeks together and three friendly matches against opponents of increasing quality, the coaching staff gained more valuable information about the players’ form, squad depth and tactical options ahead of the AFF ASEAN Cup 2026.
Vietnam are scheduled to leave Incheon for Hanoi on the morning of July 14. The squad will then travel to Thai Nguyen on July 17 before facing Myanmar in an international friendly on July 18.
That match will serve as Vietnam’s final rehearsal before Kim Sang-sik and his players begin their campaign to defend the AFF ASEAN Cup title.
VSN/RPT
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