Phan Van Duc of Song Lam Nghe An (left) scores an opener in his club’s 2-0 win over Johor Darul Ta’zim in the AFC Cup match (Photo: baonghean.vn)Hanoi (VNA) - Two national under-23 players scored tohelp Song Lam Nghe An beat Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-0 in their second match of theAsian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup’s Group H in Vinh city, the centralprovince of Nghe An on February 28.
With two wins from two games the Vietnamese side are on top of the table as theonly team to have won all their matches.
Johor Darul Ta’zim who have won the Malaysian Super League for four years in arow since 2014, are second with one win and one loss.
The group’s other teams Tampires Rovers and Persija Jakarta played in a latermatch on Februry 28.
Phan Van Duc opened the scoring in the 23rd minute in the game that saw thevisitors dominating possession.
Duc received a long pass from Ho Khac Ngoc in Johor Darul Ta’zim’s box and themidfielder coolly slotted past goalkeeper Farizal Marlias.
His teammate Pham Xuan Manh made it 2-0 in additional time at the end of thesecond half.
Starting from a counter-attack, after three passes the ball came to Le The Cuong,who ran to the box and played it back to Manh who fired past Marlias.
Earlier, Song Lam Nghe An missed two opportunities to extend their lead.
Duc had a chance when he was one-on-one with Marlias. He successful lobbed theMalaysian keeper, but defender Hariss Harun was in possession to clear theball.
Johor Darul Ta’zim also had attempts in the first half but none were goodenough to find Song Lam Nghe An’s net.
The second half was more difficult for the visitors as the hosts ran rampant onthe counter.
The visitors’ best chance fell to former Argentina international Luciano Figueroawith an 82nd-minute free-kick that forced Le Van Hung into a dive to save.
Both teams’ next matches come on March 6,when Song Lam Nghe An host Persija Jakarta while Darul Ta’zim travel toSingapore to take on Tampines Rovers.-VNA
VNA
