Laos receives unforgettable result before the match against Vietnam team

Laos received an unforgettable result before the match against Vietnam team photo 1

While Vietnam warmed up with a match against Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam's group opponent in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, had a test match against Sri Lanka. The opponent was the second weakest team in Asia with a position of 200 on the FIFA rankings (only above Guam). But in the end, Laos suffered a defeat at home.

Going into this match, Laos are rated slightly higher thanks to home advantage. They play in the capital Vientiane, where nearly 20,000 fans cheer them on. This team is 16 places higher than their opponent on the rankings and has won 3/4 previous matches against Sri Lanka (the remaining match ended in a draw).

But in terms of strength, Sri Lanka seems to be stronger than Laos thanks to the team's massive naturalization with 17 names "imported" from Europe or Australia. This makes Sri Lanka one of the teams with the most naturalized players in the world.

Laos received an unforgettable result before the match against Vietnam team photo 2

Bounkong is alone in Laos' attack line

Players with very European names like Geremi Perera, Jack Hingert, Jason Thayaparan, Sam Durrant, Leon Perera, Garrett Kelly... have helped improve the quality of the Sri Lankan squad.

Therefore, on Laos soil, they easily overwhelmed the home team thanks to their superior physical strength and physique. The South Asian representative scored 2 goals, both from crosses. First, Dekker headed in the opening goal for Sri Lanka. Despite their best efforts, Laos could not put much pressure on the opponent's goal because the team's playing style was too dependent on Bounkong. Then, they conceded the second goal in the 55th minute.

In the final minutes, Laos increased the speed but all they could get was an equalizer in the 89th minute. Laos accepted a 1-2 loss, having a bad start for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

It must be admitted that Sri Lanka is a formidable team. With a large force of naturalized players, they have defeated Cambodia, Yemen and now Laos. In the next match, Sri Lanka will meet Thailand and they can completely create a surprise. Meanwhile, Laos will be guests in Vietnam.

Dang Lai