Vietnam’s under-16 football team lost 1-0 to Malaysia rivals in their first Group A match at the Southeast Asian Under-16 Football Championship which kicked off in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 27.

In the other Group A matches of the day, Laos stunned Thailand 1-0 and Timor-Leste drew 2-2 with Brunei.

Group B includes Singapore, Myanmar, the Philippines, Australia and the host Cambodia. Group B matches will begin on July 28.

Vietnam has won the event twice in 2006 and 2010 since championship debuted in 2002.-VNA