Vietnam maintain perfect start with win over Malaysia

HONG KONG, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Vietnam maintained their perfect start to the 2018 Asean Football Federation Championship on Friday as Park Hang-seo's side beat Malaysia 2-0 at Hanoi's My Dinh Stadium.

Nguyen Cong Phuong and Nguyen Anh Duc found the back of the net for the Vietnamese, who move level in Group A on six points from two games with Myanmar at the top of the standings after Antoine Hey's team came back from a goal down to defeat Laos 3-1.

Malaysia also have six points but have played one game more. The top two nations in the five-team group qualify for the semi-finals.

Vietnam followed up a comfortable opening-round win over Laos last week with another solid performance against a Malaysia side that had defeated Cambodia and Laos in their opening fixtures.

Cong Phuong gave Vietnam a flying start when he clipped the ball home after Anh Duc's miss-kick in the penalty area with 11 minutes on the clock, and Anh Duc doubled his side's advantage on the hour mark with a first-time finish after being played in on goal by Phan Van Duc.

Myanmar, meanwhile, bounced back from conceding an early goal against Laos to pick up their second win of the tournament.

Phouthone Innalay gave Laos an unlikely lead 14 minutes into the game but Aung Thu pulled Myanmar level on the stroke of halftime.

Laos looked set to hold out for a surprise point but goals from Htet Phyoe Wai and Maung Maung Lwin in the final 18 minutes secured all three points for Myanmar. (Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Toby Davis)