Tokyo FC players celebrate their victory over Becamex Binh Duong. (Photo: bongdaplus.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Becamex Binh Duong lost 3-1 to FC Tokyo in the second round Group E match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo on March 1.
Although, they earned the first goal 24 minutes into the game and were leading in the first half, Binh Duong could not control their momentum in the second half, letting in three goals.
The Vietnamese football champions intentionally played a defensive game to block the stormy attacks from the host, leaving only striker Nguyen Anh Duc in the forward line.
Anh Duc, who won the Golden Ball as the best player of the Vietnamese football championship, netted the ball from a rapid counter-attack in the 24th minute, stunning the host and home fans.
Binh Duong did their best to increase their lead in the first half.
However, Binh Duong's solid defence could not keep the momentum going and Australian team player Nathan Burns equalised for Tokyo FC just five minutes into the second half.
The Japanese team then regrouped with more midfielders and strikers including Takuma Abe, Keigo Higashi and Ryoichi Maeda, and exerted pressure on the Vietnamese side with more attacks and some powerful play.
In the 66th minute, Spaniard Francisco Sandaza lost a clear chance when he missed a penalty shot for Tokyo FC.
However, Vietnamese goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong committed an own goal in 68th minute in an effort to save the ball and was replaced by Nguyen Quoc Thien Esele.
Substitute Ryoichi Maeda scored a goal in the 84th minute to complete a convincing win for the Japanese team.
The loss pushed Binh Duong to the bottom of the group after two matches.-VNA
