HAGL almost lost to Thanh Hoa
Thanh Hoa is flying high this season, with an undefeated record and topping the table after seven rounds. But the break for the 32nd SEA Games seems to throw them off course.
On the Pleiku field, the Thanh team entered the match before the host HAGL. Although flourishing in the second half, the goal of winning three points of coach Popov's teachers and students failed. They still hold the top of the table when they are four points ahead of Hanoi, but have played more than one match.
On the contrary, HAGL is fast paced. Their players hit the ball coherently and created many chances. In the 5th minute, Paollo broke the offside trap to finish but was blocked by defender Dinh Tien Thanh. A few minutes later, Paollo came down from the left wing, passed goalkeeper Xuan Hoang, but shot incorrectly.
Under pressure from HAGL, Thanh Hoa's defense system revealed a mistake. In the 23rd minute, Tien Thanh passed the wrong pass for Paollo to steal and then trim the ball for Tran Minh Vuong - who had just returned from injury. From outside the penalty area, midfielder HAGL shot into the far corner, causing goalkeeper Xuan Hoang to touch the ball but could not prevent the goal for the homeowner.
About 10 minutes later, Minh Vuong almost scored another goal from Bao Toan's cross. Midfielder No. 8 supported his chest in the penalty area but hit goalkeeper Xuan Hoang. At the end of the first half, away center defender Minh Tung almost burned the home net from Bao Toan's pass.
In the second half, coach Popov launched striker Lam Ti Phong and midfielder Nguyen Thai Son into the field. The visitors ventured high, but nearly broke through 55 minutes. Brandao quickly finished in the penalty area from a corner kick, but missed the post. The opportunity was then given to Minh Vuong, but the shot went over the bar.
Missing two opportunities, HAGL quickly paid the price. Midfielder Thai Son, who returned from the 32nd SEA Games, passed to Paulo Conrado standing in the penalty area. The visitors' foreign troops pressed on, eliminated midfielder Diakite and then shot into a narrow corner. Goalkeeper Huynh Tuan Linh closed the corner but could not avoid the 1-1 equalizer.
The away team cheered up and played coherently. HAGL sometimes had to retreat deep to defend - counterattack but it was not effective. In the 77th minute, Lam Ti Phong successfully competed for the ball from Diakite and then passed it to Bruno Cunha to escape and shoot directly. Goalkeeper Tuan Linh fell to touch the ball but could not prevent Thanh Hoa from scoring the second goal.
With nothing left to lose, coach Kiatisuk launched strikers Nguyen Quoc Viet and Dinh Thanh Binh into the field. And Thanh Binh immediately made a mark. He picked up Le Van Son's pass and then shot a tight touch, sending the ball hitting the crossbar and rolling into the net.
In the 90th minute, Thanh Hoa shook the HAGL net for the third time, but the referee did not recognize it because he thought Lam Ti Phong was offside. The result of a 2-2 draw made HAGL not know how to win at home this season.
In the 9th round, HAGL made a guest in Da Nang and Thanh Hoa returned home to receive Viettel.
