Sterling bags brace in Vietnam

Raheem Sterling scored twice as Manchester City cruised to an 8-1 victory in their friendly with Vietnam in Hanoi on Monday. City play VfB Stuttgart in Germany on Saturday.

Aleksandar Kolarov opened the scoring with a re-taken free-kick in the 11th minute before Raheem Sterling doubled the lead eight minutes later. The former Liverpool winger netted twice in 12 minutes against a team ranked 143rd in the world.

It was four just past the half-hour as Sterling played a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho before sliding the ball past the goalkeeper.

In the second half, Manchester City fielded goalkeeper Willy Caballero to replace Joe Hart, while Vietnam’s coach Toshiya Miura also sent Phi Son, Thanh Hien and Tien Dung to the field.

Sterling’s hat-trick moment appeared to have arrived five minutes after the break as he was felled in the penalty area, but he was denied the chance as stand-in captain Kolarov converted from the spot.

Sterling quickly muscled his way into the action and after 20 minutes had his second City goal, the England worldwide executing a superb first-time shot across Vinh Loi from 18 yards.

Sterling, David Silva, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri are expected to headline the match at the My Dinh Stadium.

A weaker Vietnam’s defense was broken again by Manchester City’s fast attack that ended up with a close distance shot by Pozo.

“I think that for our team it’s an important game because we’re in pre-season and we’re near to the start of the Premier League – we have just two more games”.

But the 2014 Premier League champions will be without new signing Fabian Delph (hamstring injury) and Yaya Toure (concussion) who were injured in Friday night’s friendly against Real Madrid in the global Champions Cup in Melbourne. In its game against the Vietnam’s national football team on July 17, 2013, Arsenal won 7-1.