Hanoi: Defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds exited the AFC Champions League™ 2023-24 on Wednesday as the J1 League side slumped to a 2-1 loss against Hanoi FC at My Dinh Stadium with Maciej Skorza’s outfit needing to win to have any hope of advancing to the last 16.
With an impressive performance in front of Hanoi Club’s goal, goalkeeper Van Hoang was selected as the Player of the match by AFC.
Alex Scholz had his 10th minute penalty saved before Dao Van Nam gave Hanoi an unlikely lead eight minutes into the second half and, although Bryan Linssen equalised 12 minutes later, the home side took the points when Pham Tuan Hai converted an 87th minute spot-kick.
The result, coupled with Wuhan Three Towns’ 1-1 draw with Pohang Steelers, means Urawa finish second in Group J but their tally of seven points will not be enough to claim one of the three best runners-up berths in the Round of 16 draw later this month.
Urawa squandered an early chance to take the lead when Scholz’s penalty was saved by Nguyen Van Hoang, the goalkeeper diving to his left to keep out the Dane’s spot-kick after a VAR review had determined Van Nam had handled in the area.
The visitors camped out in the Hanoi half but, with Hanoi packing the penalty area, Urawa struggled to find a way through.
Hanoi offered little in attack and Urawa eventually opened up the Hanoi defence 12 minutes before the break when Scholz’s incisive pass released Kaito Yasui but Van Hoang’s smart save to his right kept the scores level.
Nine minutes later Yasui shot wide from distance and soon after Brian Linssen’s weak attempt on the turn trundled harmlessly through to the goalkeeper as Urawa failed to make the breakthrough.
Alex Schalk thumped his effort over the bar four minutes after the resumption with Urawa trying to turn up the pressure, but instead it was Hanoi who took the lead.
Van Nam reacted quickest to head in from close range in the 53rd minute, meeting the ball after Nishikawa had saved Damien Le Tallac’s header following Nguyen Hai Long’s corner from the left.
Linssen restored parity in the 65th minute when he steered his first time attempt through Van Hoang’s legs from close range as he met Takuya Ogiwara’s curving pass from the right.
Substitute Jose Kante then saw his header beaten to safety by Van Hoang but, with Reds growing increasingly desperate, the game swung in Hanoi’s favour when Ogiwara hauled down Hai Long inside the area and Tuan Hai slotted in the penalty for a famous win.
