VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam coach Falko Goetz debuted his first competitive match with a comfortable 6-0 win over Macau in the first round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, Asian Zone qualifiers.

Le Cong Vinh scored a hattrick and goals from Pham Thanh Luong, Nguyen Ngoc Thanh and Nguyen Van Quyet helped Viet Nam to a perfect start in the country's bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time.

The victory, at a packed 20,000-seat Thong Nhat Stadium, has put Viet Nam in a commanding position although they still need to play Macau in their own hometown.

The fans watched their team play their first game since facing Malaysia in the semi-finals of the Southeast Asia Football Championships last December, giving the German coach his first proper experience of how popular football is in Viet Nam.

Goetz opted to play offensively from the start by including attacking midfielders Nguyen Trong Hoang and Quyet who forced Macau's goalkeeper to tip the ball over the bar.

While Macau opted to drop deep in defence due to continuous attack, the home team struggled to find scoring opportunities.

When Vinh's header, resulting from a free kick, finally hit the mark, Goetz, continuously animated and perhaps a little frustrated by that time, could afford to relax a little.

The host team continued its attack, scoring another goal, more due to Vinh again choosing the right opportunity than coherent team play.

Viet Nam replaced captain Phan Van Tai Em and, while succeeding possession in the second half, continued to dominate the match.

When Luong scored, Goetz jumped up into the air, thrilled by the good show of player communication.

Nguyen Ngoc Thanh and Quyet scored two more goals to seal the match.

"I am more surprised by the score line than with the result," Goetz said at the post-match conference.

"Players followed tactics and played a good match. I want to thank the Vietnamese fans for their incredible support."

"The result clearly revealed the huge difference between the two teams," conceded Goetz's Macau counterpart Leung Sui Wing.

"I am pleased with the fighting spirit of our players and I hope they continue displaying it when we play at home."

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News