Hanoi: Park Hang-seo’s Vietnam defeated Malaysia 3-0 in a Group B encounter of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 that saw both sides end the game at the My Dinh National Stadium with 10 men on Tuesday.

Nguyen Tien Linh headed Vietnam in front in the 28th minute, but the home side went a man down four minutes later as Nguyen Van Toan saw a second yellow card for a late challenge.

The hosts doubled their lead through Que Ngoc Hai from the penalty spot after an off-the-ball incident saw Azam Azmi shown a straight red card. A third goal that sealed the win came from Nguyen Hoang Duc with seven minutes left to play.

Vietnam now top Group B with their second win from as many matches while Kim Pan-gon’s Malaysia and Singapore, who beat Laos 2-0 earlier in the day, also have six points each.

Conspicuous by his absence among the Vietnam starters was Nguyen Quang Hai as Van Toan came in to replace the talisman. Faisal Halim, Sharul Nazeem and Mukhairi Ajmal were the only survivors from Malaysia’s 5-0 win over Laos.

The first chance of the game fell to Mukhairi as he drifted in from the left and took aim only to see his shot fly wide in the ninth minute. At the other end, Nguyen Hoang Duc went close for Vietnam with a strike from the edge of the box in the 20th minute.

Park’s side took the lead in the 28th minute as Tien Linh battled Brendan Gan and headed in from a corner for his second goal of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022.

But it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for the hosts as they soon were a man down. Van Toan, already on a yellow card, went in late on Dominic Tan in the 32nd minute and the referee brandished a second caution.

Syihan Hazmi made a save to stop Ho Tan Tai from doubling Vietnam’s lead in the 39th minute, but it was Malaysia who ended the half strongly as Mukhairi was twice denied by Vietnam shot-stopper Dang Van Lam.

In the 41st minute, Ruventhiran Vengadesan’s cross was met by Mukhairi with a header only for Van Lam to palm it behind for a corner. Four minutes later, the Selangor midfielder was released on goal by Gan, but Van Lam again did enough to preserve his side’s 1-0 lead.

Half-time substitute Nor Hakim Hassan almost gifted a goal to Vietnam in the 50th minute as his back pass fell to Phan Van Duc, but Syihan spread himself to save the Selangor defender’s blushes.

Malaysia suffered a double blow in the 64th minute as they saw a penalty awarded against them and Azam sent off for an off-the-ball incident. Ngoc Hai stepped up and converted from the spot as Vietnam took a 2-0 lead.

The Golden Star Warriors continued their dominance as goalkeeper Syihan had to produce a brilliant save to deny Vietnam captain Do Hung Dung in the 79th minute before Sharul cleared off the line from the rebound.

The night ended in the best of fashions for the Vietnam supporters as Quang Hai came off the bench to provide a cheeky no-look assist for the home side’s third goal through Hoang Duc in the 83rd minute.