Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Cong of Hanoi FC makes a save during the inter-zonal semi-final return match against Altyn Asyr on August 27. Hanoi won 5-4 on aggregate to seal their final berth (Photo: the-afc.com) Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi FC made history as the first ever ASEAN club totake part in the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal Finals on August 27 in Ashgabat city,Turkmenistan.
Captain Nguyen Van Quyet scored twice to help Hanoi draw with hosts Altyn Asyr2-2 in the return match of the inter-zonal semi-final and won 5-4 on aggregateto seal their final berth.
Altyn Asyr’s skipper Serdar Geldiyev meanwhile grabbed both goals frompenalties, one in each half.
Hanoi won 3-2 in the first leg match on home turf last week.
Altyn Asyr were expected to progress to a second successive Inter-Zonal Finalwhen they opened the attacks just minutes from the first whistle.
Resul Hojayev pushed the ball near the Vietnamese side’s box and testedgoalkeeper Nguyen Van Cong with a straight finish which went a little wide.
Hanoi, who promised to play beautiful football, answered with strongcounter-attacks.
National midfielder left keeper Mammet Orazmuhamedow behind but his shot wasblocked by a defender.
Despite the hosts’ effort, it was 1-0 for the visitors in the 15th minute.
Skipper Quyet ran into the box to control the ball from the right wing and hisclose-range finish found the net.
The goal was a strong push for Hanoi who created many difficulties for AltynAsyr’s defenders and forced Orazmuhamedow to work hard.
Quyet nearly made his double in the 37th minute with a free kick toOrazmuhamedow’s near corner but the keeper dived to protect his net.
Pape Omar was too fast to pass Altyn Asyr players and was in a face-to-facesituation with Orazmuhamedow but the Senegalese striker was unable to beat him.
Altyn Asyr also threatened goalie Cong several times but Murat Yakshiye andBegench Akmamedov did not finish well.
It was in extra time of the first half that defender Nguyen Van Dung pulledResul Hojayev down in the box and the hosts were given a penalty.
Geldiyev easily beat Cong to make it 1-1.
Yazguly Hojageldiyevr of Altyn Asyr said at a press conference that his playerswere asked to keep eyes on Hanoi’s talented midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai whoscored two goals in the first leg match. But Hai was not the only star of theteam. When Hai was quiet, Quyet made the highlight.
Altyn Asyr looked to have better momentum after the break but theirdetermination was broken with the second goal for Hanoi.
Defender Ngan Van Dai took a ball from Altyn Asyr and headed it to Quyet whorestored Hanoi’s two-goal lead on aggregate in the 51st minute. Quyet, who alsoscored a goal in the first leg match, steered a header above Orazmuhammedovinto the vacant net. It was his fifth goals in five AFC Cup matches.
Things seemed to be going right for the visiting side as time ran to the endand they still kept the pace of the match.
However, Mehail Titov was pulled down in the 81st minute and Geldiyev beatkeeper Cong for a second time.
Cong then made a superb save just a minute later to prevent Titov’s attemptwith a powerful kick.
In the two-leg inter-zone final, Hanoi will play the winners of the matchbetween Abahani Limited Dhaka of Bangladesh and April 25 Sports Club of theDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 25 and October 2. -VNA
VNA
