Thailand strike twice to beat Viet Nam at ASEAN champs

Viet Nam used their advantage of playing on home ground to push up the pace of the match during it”s opening stage. The home team dominated possession of the ball during opening play but failed to score.

Viet Nam almost scored during the first minute when striker Phan Thanh Binh made a perfect pass to Thach Bao Khanh on the left wing, but Khanh”s shot at goal was blocked by Thai keeper Kitisuk.

Vietnamese mid-fielder Huynh Thanh Quang also missed a chance at scoring soon after when his header in the penalty box was blocked by the talented Kitisuk.

Despite strong attacks, Vietnamese players failed to convert any opportunities while the Thais gradually succeeded in diminishing the hosts” fighting spirit. Increasing their control of the game step by step, the Thais counter-attacked with a series of long-range shots at goal.

Thai defender Suchao Nutnum and halfback Dasakorn Thonglao rotated to test host goalkeeper Ngo Quang Huy with their shots from outside the box.

The visitors” best chance came from a free kick 25m from the Vietnamese goal. Thonglao, who will play with the V-League”s former champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai this season, made a dipping shot which went through the wall of white Vietnamese T-shirt and into the net.

Despite diving to the goal”s left corner in time, goalie Huy failed to keep the ball out.

The Thais” sudden goal silenced the Vietnamese team for a minute, before they rallied to again launch some strong assaults. Captain Nguyen Minh Phuong and defender Nguyen Van Bien tested Kitisuk with their strong volleys but the keeper was in form, despite it being the first match he played at this championship.

The most threatening chance for the hosts came during the last minute of the first half when Van Bien was faulted in the penalty box. Binh took the penalty, but under the heavy pressure of thousands of home fans at the stadium, Binh failed to score his fifth goal at the event when his shot went wide.

Five minutes after the break, Le Cong Vinh, the V-League”s 2006 Silver Ball winner, made a furious header to Kitisuk”s net but the Thai player again did not make any mistakes in keeping the ball out of goals.

Viet Nam regained domination when coach Alfred Riedl replaced Le Tan Tai, who played under expectations, with Nguyen Duc Duong in centre field. Duong played a key role in making Viet Nam attacks sharper, but it was not enough for his team to score.

Meanwhile the Thais counter-attacked. During the 80th minute Thai substitute striker Pipat Thongkayen, who kept a low profile during most of the match, doubled the score for his team.

The Thai goal came after a misunderstanding between Vietnamese halfback pair Nguyen Huy Hoang and Nguyen Nhu Thanh when they were trying to clear the ball out of the box. They unintentionally gave the ball to Thongkayen, who easily tapped it into the net.

Vietnamese coach Rield was upbeat after the match.

“I think that we had a good match today although we suffered two losses and missed a penalty,” said Riedl.

“My players played well and tried their best to score a goal.

“I think that the better team was the loser today.

“The next match in Bangkok will be more difficult but if we can play like this plus have some luck we can change the result.”

The second leg between the two sides will be played on Sunday in Bangkok.

In the first semi-final match on Tuesday, Malaysia drew 1-1 with defending champions Singapore in Kuala Lumpur.

VNS