Song Lam Nghe An win second match at AFC Cup

Hanoi (VNA)  - Two national under-23 players scored to help Song Lam Nghe An beat Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-0 in their second match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup’s Group H in Vinh city, the central province of Nghe An on February 28.

With two wins from two games the Vietnamese side are on top of the table as the only team to have won all their matches.

Johor Darul Ta’zim who have won the Malaysian Super League for four years in a row since 2014, are second with one win and one loss.

The group’s other teams Tampires Rovers and Persija Jakarta played in a later match on Februry 28.

Phan Van Duc opened the scoring in the 23rd minute in the game that saw the visitors dominating possession.

Duc received a long pass from Ho Khac Ngoc in Johor Darul Ta’zim’s box and the midfielder coolly slotted past goalkeeper Farizal Marlias.

His teammate Pham Xuan Manh made it 2-0 in additional time at the end of the second 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 the Malaysian keeper, but defender Hariss Harun was in possession to clear the ball.

Johor Darul Ta’zim also had attempts in the first half but none were good enough to find Song Lam Nghe An’s net.

The second half was more difficult for the visitors as the hosts ran rampant on the counter.

The visitors’ best chance fell to former Argentina international Luciano Figueroa with 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 to Singapore to take on Tampines Rovers.-VNA