Tien Linh scores hattrick to help Vietnam trounce Laos 6-1

Striker Tien Linh scores a hattrick to help Vietnam trounces Laos 6-1 (Photo: Vietnam+)

Vietnam dominated the match against the minnows from the opening whistle, and only three minutes in striker Nguyen Tien Linh pounced on a Laos mistake to open the scoring (Photo: Vietnam+)

Striker Tien Linh scores a hattrick to help Vietnam trounces Laos 6-1 (Photo: Vietnam+)

In the 17th minute, Linh of Becamex Binh Duong Club doubled the advantage after being played through by Ho Tan Tai (Photo: Vietnam+)

Two minutes later, defender Doan Van Hau, who is on loan at SC Heerenveen of the Netherlands, put the ball in the net with a lob but he was ruled offside (Photo: Vietnam+)

Vietnam leads 2-0 in the first half (Photo: Vietnam+)

The Vietnamese side’s efforts paid off with a third goal in the 54th minute, scored by over-22 midfielder Do Hung Dung after a delightful one-two with his Hanoi FC teammate Nguyen Quang Hai (Photo: Vietnam+)

Three minutes later, Linh completed his hat-trick to raise the score to 4-0 for Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

Laos fought till the end and were rewarded with a goal in the 60th minute, courtesy of a header from Kaharn Phetsivilay after a free-kick was whipped in (Photo: Vietnam+)

Vietnamese team’s Coach Park Hang-seo (Photo: Vietnam+)

After a moment of distraction, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and Hai managed to tack another goal on each in the closing stages to make the score 6-1 (Photo: Vietnam+)

However, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and Hai managed to tack another goal on each in the closing stages to make the score 6-1 (Photo: Vietnam+)

Vietnam secures first place in group B with 6 points (Vietnam+)

Vietnam will next play Indonesia on December 1 at 7pm (Hanoi time) (Photo: Vietnam+)