Long An take Super Cup in fine form

Long An finally added the Super Cup trophy to their display case after beating favoured team Hoa Phat Ha Noi 2-0 in Long An Stadium February 10.

The team”s decisive second half victory was thanks to Congolese striker Ishamala Kabanga. The striker scored both goals and was awarded Most Valuable Player.

The team”s win comes despite a dicey first half of the match.

Hoa Phat Ha Noi looked strong early on when their forwards just missed Viet Nam”s net.

New comer Anh Cuong made a sharp pass to Williams Carlos from the left wing.

Carlos took advantage of his position, but couldn”t control the ball. His shot went wide of Long An goalkeeper Fabio Dos Santos.

Home field advantage didn”t seem to bolster Long An”s players who continued to let Hoa Phat control the ball.

Nor did the return of national team player Phan Van Tai Em, who was out with an injury.

But all was not lost for the home team.

Seventy-five minutes into the game, halfback Luu Minh Tri gave the ball to Kabanga who beat goalkeeper Nguyen Manh Dung with a shot to the top corner of the net. Dung was caught off guard by the play and was unable to see the ball fly over him with the bright sun in his eyes.

Two minutes before the end of the game, Kabanga doubled the result for Long An after coming back from a missed pass. The striker made his move beating Hoa Phat”s defence and tapping it in the net.

“It was my happy day. I played well and scored twice. It was a perfect start for me and for the team to kick off a new season,” said Kabanga.

“This season will be hard because all our rivals are strong and have trained hard. Everyone wants to beat the defending champion and we”ll have to fight for the title,” said Kabanga when asked about the upcoming season.

Though the obvious star of the game, Kabanga has only recently won the admiration of Long An”s coach. The Congolese player had big shoes to fill after he was drafted to take over for favourite Carlos Rodrigues two seasons ago.

The day was lucrative for Kabanga in more than just points. The great performance earned him a bonus worth VND3 million (US$187).

Calisto attributed part of the win to his decision to put Nguyen Minh Phuong in the lineup 10 minutes after the break.

Phuong”s key plays slowly turned the tide for Long An and gave the team a chance to control the game in the second half.

The team has more than repaid their debt to Hoa Phat after losing to them 1-2 in the 2006 National Cup final.

“I am very happy. I hope the victory at the beginning of the year will make our players confident to conquer other targets in 2006,” said Calisto.

He added, now the team has won all national football titles, Long An may be entered in regional tournaments.

Long An can boast of being the richest team too with the VND150 million ($9,400) purse added to their coffers.

Hoa Phat left the match with a prize of VND70 million.

The victory was a balm to the team”s stung pride after losing the cup finals to Mitsustar Haier Hai Phong 1-2 in Lach Tray Stadium last year.

VNS