South African duo Percy Tau and Njabulo Blom starred in a 4-0 thrashing of the Vietnam national team during their unofficial debut for Nam Dinh FC.
It was confirmed last week that both Tau and Blom had been officially registered to compete in the V.League 1, Vietnam's top flight.
However, they are yet to make an official debut, with only three league games played so far in the new campaign.
There is a sense of anticipation surrounding the South African pair, given that they are ranked among the division's most valuable players, according to Transfermarkt.
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Tau is ranked joint first with a value of €1 million (approximately R20 million), alongside Matheus Felipe, a Brazilian striker who recently played alongside Manchester City legend Fernandinho at Club Athletico Paranaense in Brazil.
Just behind Tau and Felipe, Blom is the most valuable player in Vietnam's top division with a market value of €950,000 (approximately R1.1 million).
On Thursday, the two South Africans featured in an unofficial clash against the Vietnam national team, a warm-up for the latter's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Nam Dinh fielded a side made up only of foreign players, giving the former PSL stars their first run for their new club in what turned out to be a comprehensive defeat for the 113th-ranked Vietnam national team, according to FIFA's official rankings.
After the win, Nam Dinh wrote on their official social media accounts:
"The Vietnam national team has lost heavily to the foreign players of Thep Xanh Nam Dinh.
"Despite their best efforts, coach Dinh Hong Vinh's team still could not withstand the powerful attacks of the million-dollar foreign players of Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. In the end, the Vietnamese team lost with a score of 0-4.
"This defeat will certainly help the coaching staff and players of the team gain a lot of experience."
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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