In the first game of the tournament it was Vietnam who opened the scoring midway through the first half when an unmarked Lê Thanh Bình poked in Hồ Ngọc Thắng's cross. Vietnam would score again just after the break in similar circumstances as Trần Phi Sơn was once again unmarked to head in Nguyễn Công Phượng's free kick. Vietnam would score four times in the last 15 minutes as the Brunei side tired, first Mạc Hồng Quân finished after a teammate headed the ball down to him, then Ngọc Thắng and Hồng Quân exchanged some neat passes before the former's cross hit into the net by Phạm Đức Huy. Four minutes later Ngọc Thắng's cross was not properly dealt with by the Bruneian defense resulting in Hồng Quân laying the ball off for Công Phượng to score, and with a minute left in normal time Phạm Mạnh Hùng's effort from outside the box was beyond the goalkeeper's reach to complete the rout.
Laos dominated the early stages of the game with their play-makers
Faiq Jefri Bolkiah. In the 19th minute he dribbled past two defenders to see his shot go just wide, while three minutes later the Laotian goalkeeper had to be alert to his well placed free-kick. Faiq Jefri was desperately unlucky in the 32nd minute when his fine run and shot had Soukthavy Soundala beaten but his effort rebounded off the post. It was Laos' turn to hit the word work ten minutes later with Sihavong and Soukaphone coming well again but the former's effort coming back of the underside of the crossbar. In the 55th minute Bruneian goalkeeper Ahsanuddin had to make a fantastic one handed save from Phoutthasay's long range effort, and again ten minutes later from Khouanta Sivongthong. Brunei finally got their equaliser in the 67th minute when a quick counterattack ended with Azwan Ali Rahman placing a shot into the top corner. Parity would only last seven minutes though as Soukchinda Natphasouk got behind the Bruneian defence to turn in Soukaphone's low cross. The Laotians held on for the win in a fine match.[3]
A surprisingly resolute Timorese side managed to stem a Thai attack that had scored six in the previous game. Thailand should have taken the lead in the 41st minute when Sarach Yooyen's free-kick was parried by Ramos Maxanches, but only a few yards out with no pressure and the whole goal to aim at Nurul Sriyankem somehow managed to blast his shot way over. Thailand finally were able to capitalise on their vast dominance a minute before half-time as Chanathip Songkrasin's decisive pass was composedly finished by Rungrath Poomchantuek. In the second half Thailand had a great opportunity to double their lead when they were awarded a penalty kick after Nurul was tripped in the box in the 54th minute. Chananan Pombuppha had scored four in his previous game and was given the responsibility but Maxanches dove low to his right to save the shot. Timor-Leste defended well but offered little in attack as Thailand won by the single goal.
Malaysia started strongly and could have scored in the first minute, goaltender
Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim to score. With ten minutes to go Vietnam restored their four-goal lead when Nguyễn Văn Toàn chipping the ball over Abu Bakar who was off his goal-line to cap off a resounding performance.[4]
Brunei missed an excellent chance early on in the game as
Faiq Jefri Bolkiah took the responsibility and confidently smashed the penalty kick home to equalise. However just as in the previous game Brunei conceded again six minutes after equalising, from just outside the box the other Brazilian-born Timorese player in the squad Paulo Helber stole the ball from Muhd Saiful Ammar Hj Adis and unleashed a powerful effort and although Md Ahsanuddin Hj Md Dani
got both hands to the shot he could not keep it out.
The match started at a frenetic pace as with in the first ten minutes
Mohd Farhan Abu Bakar had to dive down low to keep Tanaboon Kesarat's long range effort out, and the rebound was pounced upon by Chananan but his shot was deflected by a Malaysian defender for a corner. But a goal did come nine minutes from time as Tristan Do passed to his captain Sarach Yooyen who from just outside the box unleashed a powerful left-footed effort that gave the Malaysian goalkeeper no chance. Thailand could have even scored another when Nurul Sriyankem was one-on-one with the goalkeeper but Abu Bakar managed to make the block. Nonetheless Thailand held on through six minutes of additional time to confirm the win.[5]
Thailand fielded a starting line-up mostly of reserves against Brunei but still dominated the match and they scored in the 19th minute as
Suhaimi Anak Sulau and proceeded to shoot past Md Ahsanuddin Hj Md Dani although the Bruneian goalkeeper probably could have done better. He himself was injured on the play and had to be substituted, but his replacement Md Nur Syazwan Halidi could not stop another substitute Nurul Sriyankem from scoring in stoppage time as Thailand made it five. The result also guarantied Thailand would advance out of the group.[6]
Vietnam opened the scoring in the twelfth minute as Trần Phi Sơn headed in a cross from his captain Quế Ngọc Hải. The Timorese defence managed to keep the score at one nil for the rest of the first half, but five minutes into the second Mạc Hồng Quân headed in another goal, again from a Ngọc Hải cross. The Full-back then got himself on the score sheet seven minutes later as his shot from an acute angle rebounded off the far post and into the net. Vietnam where dominating and just three minutes later they scored their fourth goal; Ramos Maxanches managed to save Lê Thanh Bình's initial effort, but the rebound fell right to Võ Huy Toàn who smashed the ball in. The result saw Vietnam join Thailand in the semi-finals with a game to spare while in the process eliminating the other teams in the group.[7]
Malaysia won 2-0 against their neighbours although it was a match with only pride to play for as both teams were already eliminated. In the 74th minute Nurridzuan Abu Hassan's long range free-kick took an awkward bounce to nestle in the far corner, and only six minutes Malaysia scored a second to wrap up the win as Adam Nor Azlin pounced on a rebound as the Bruneian goalkeeper could not hold on the initial shot[8]
Both teams were already qualified for the knockout round, and as expected a few key players such as
Thitipan Puangchan took the responsibility and calmly scored the penalty kick. With sixteen minutes to go Thanh Bình was denied by a sliding challenge from Thai captain Adisorn Promrak, and three minutes later it was three for Thailand as Tristan Do managed to turn the defender marking him before unleashing a powerful curling shot perfectly placed in the top corner. in the last minute of the game Vietnam would grab a consolation goal as Thanh Bình turned and volleyed a pass in spectacular style to make some amends for the chances he missed earlier in the game, as Thailand conceded their first goal of the tournament but still topped the group in an entertaining game.[9]
Thailand
Vietnam
Malaysia
Laos
Brunei
24'
