Team coach Mai Duc Chung said the Vietnamese team had only arrived in Nanjing three days before the match, which contributed to their poor performance in the first half.

Midway through the first half, a Nanjing half-back put his team ahead with a right cross that sent the ball looping over Vietnam’s goalkeeper.

The guest team launched relentless attacks in the remainder of the first half to win many scoring chances that were not converted.

Chung said he changed the whole team in the second half but the host controlled the match until the final whistle.

Vietnam’s first-half U.22 team, with possibly a few personnel changes, will meet Brazil’s super team on October 31 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The team will include Ngoc Duy and Cao Cuong, who will return from Malaysia, he said.

The home team is made up of players who will compete in the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be held next year in Laos, Vietnam’s head coach for the Olympic squad, Mai Duc Chung, said.

The friendly will provide a chance for Vietnamese footballers to gain more match experience against top-notch competitors, as they also prepare to compete in Malaysia’s Merdeka Cup from October 15-25, Chung added.

Reported by Lan Phuong - Giang An