The 2020 champions, who beat Macau 5-0 on Matchday One, put Laos on the backfoot from kick-off but were unable to make any headway in what proved a lackslustre opening 25 minutes.

Lee Hyun-yong tried his luck from distance in the 29th minute only to see his effort go straight to keeper Kop Lokphathip while Choi Ye-hoon’s free-kick four minutes later swerved past the left post.

An unmarked Joung Ji-hun finally broke the stalemate a minute before the break when he headed in from close range off a pass from Kang Min-jun on the right.

Lee Kyu-dong then made it 2-0 four minutes into first half added time when he picked up a loose ball following a goalmouth scramble and slotted past an out-of-position Lokphathip.

The East Asians picked up their third five minutes into the second half when Lokphathip was again caught out, allowing Cho Sang-hyeok to head home into an unguarded goal off a lofted pass from Kang Seong-jin on the left.

Cho picked up his second in the 60th minute when he controlled the ball in the area, turned on his markers and curled the ball past a diving Lokphathip.

They went five up when Park Seung-ho converted a 69th-minute penalty after Khammanh Thapaseut handled his shot, with Hwang Do-yun making it 6-0 two minutes later when he dribbled past the defence and fired past an outstretched keeper.

Cho bagged his hat-trick one minute into time added on when he sprinted past the Laos defence and hit the ball through an onrushing Lokphathip’s legs.