VietNam Culture: midfielder Nguyen

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Friday, December 17, 2010

Malaysia beat Vietnam 2-0 in AFF’s first leg semifinals

Malaysia's Safee Sali (front) celebrates scoring their first goal against Vietnam during their semi-final first leg match of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) 2010 soccer tournament in Kuala Lumpur 0n Wednesday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Defending champions Vietnam face a difficult task to advance to the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 after losing 0-2 to Malaysia their first leg semifinals at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday.

Safee Sali scored both goals for the home side in the second half. The Malaysian striker twice beat Vietnam goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong with a header in the 60th minute and an unstoppable kick in penalty area in the 79th minute.

At the pre-match press conference, Vietnam’s coach Henrique Calisto and Malaysia’s coach K. Rajagobal both expressed their strong winning determinations on the threshold of the crucial clash between the two sides.

Vietnam began the game without two defenders, Doan Viet Cuong and Huynh Quang Thanh, and midfielder Phan Van Tai Em, due to injuries, while midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, who had scored two goals, had been given a red card in the game against Singapore last Wednesday.

Vietnam’s coach Calisto made some changes with defenders Nguyen Huy Hoang and Tran Dinh Dong coming for Doan Viet Cuong and Huynh Quang Thanh. Midfielder Le Tan Tai replaced Phan Van Tai Em while midfielder Nguyen Thanh Hung made his debut from the beginning.

Though backed by the enthusiastic support from Malaysian spectators, Vietnamese players began in high spirit and were very confident from the beginning. Coach Calisto’s players were on the attack from the start of the game in search for a goal in the first minutes while Malaysia relied on rare counter attacks.

Calisto made a change in the second half when midfielder Nguyen Minh Chau replaced Phan Thanh Hung. The visitors continuously dominated the ball possession in the first minutes of the second half, however, the Vietnamese forwarders wasted their scoring chances.

Vietnam goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, who was a hero as he denied all Singapore shots and headers with several brilliant saves in the final game in group stage, made a serious mistake in the game when the goalkeeper let Safee Sali’s header slip through his hands and into the net in the 60th minute.

Safee Sali doubled for the Malaysian side in the 79th minute as the striker netted in the penalty box after goalie Bui Tan Truong saved the ball from captain Safiq Rahim’s kick.

Though striker Nguyen Viet Thang, a first-choice striker of coach Calisto, and midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai replaced Le Tan Tai and Pham Thanh Luong in the last minutes. Vietnamese players created some scoring chances in the last minutes but their players also lost all the chances, leaving the score at 2-0 upon the referee’s whistle at the end of the game.

With the home win, Malaysia moved closer to reaching the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation Cup, also called AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 final. The Malaysian side even suffer a 1-0 loss in the second leg of the semifinals in Hanoi on Saturday enough to qualify the final game.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese side need to win in the second clash with the score at least 2-0 in their home ground on Saturday to keep their hope of reaching the final of the biennial tournament.

The other semi-final game between host Indonesia and the Philippines will be played on Thursday and Sunday at the Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals

Referee Chaiya Alee Mahapab of Thailand (3rd L) stops the game as Vietnam's Nguyen Minh Chau (L), Phan Van Tai Em (2nd L), Le Phuoc Tu (3rd R), Nguyen Vu Phong (2nd R) celebrate their victory near Singapore's Agu Casmir (C) and Mohamad Shahril Bin Ishak (R) after their qualifying round match at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Defending champions Vietnam reached the semifinals at the ASEAN Football Federation Cup/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, after defeating their archrivals Singapore 1-0 in their final game of the group stage at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on Wednesday while the Philippines qualified for the semifinals for the first time after drawing goalless with Myanmar at Thien Truong Stadium.

With only one goal from midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong in the 31st minute, Vietnam sent the three-time champions packing right in the group stage of the Southeast Asian championship.

Prior to the game, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss while Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses. But Vietnam now win the top place of the group.

The Vietnamese side needed a win to ensure their progress to the next round of the tournament while the Lions just needed a draw to keep their hope of reaching the next round alive.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he believed Vietnam would beat Singapore in the make-or-break game. The Portuguese man said he was pleased with his players from their performance in the regional tournament even though local spectators had raised doubts about the team’s strength.

Part of Calisto’s confidence stems from the fact that Vietnam had held the three-time champions to a 1-1 draw in the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup at the My Dinh Stadium earlier last month.

At the pre-match press conference, Singapore national coach Radojko Avramovic also expressed his strong winning determination on the threshold of the crucial clash between the two sides.

Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto made some changes in their lineup with goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong coming in from the beginning. Meanwhile, midfielder Le Tan Tai did not even make the list due to an injury.

Backed by the enthusiastic support from about 40,000 spectators, Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search for a goal and coach Calisto’s players dominated the ball possession in the first half while Singapore relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side missed a series of chances, the best in the first minutes when Nguyen Trong Hoang’s kick was saved by Singaporean goalkeeper Hassan Bin Abd Sunny from close range in minute five, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong’s kick over the goalpost in minute 13.

The Lions also created some scoring chances in the half but their players also lost all the chances.

The football-crazy local fans waited for 31 minutes into the game to celebrate the hosts’ scoring when Nguyen Vu Phong opened the score with superb kick after receiving the ball from midfielder Nguyen Thanh Luong in the penalty box.

After the break, the Lions increased their pressure in search for an equalizer. Singaporean forwards always troubled goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong and Vietnamese defenders.

Vietnamese players took on the defensive tactic and relied on counter attacks with an aim to protect the score. However, the Vietnamese forwarders also created some scoring chances and their defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

But difficulties came in the 63rd minute when midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang was sent off with a second yellow card. Ever since, many scoring chances came for the visitors but the Singaporean players failed to convert any opportunities in the remaining time.

In the day’s other match, the Philippines and Myanmar shared the point after a goalless draw. The Philippines also qualified for the semi-finals as a Group B’s runners-up with five points.

Vietnam will meet Group A runners-up Malaysia in the semifinal first leg next Wednesday in Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium and second leg next Saturday in Malaysia.

Group A leaders Indonesia will play Group B runners-up Philippines in the semifinal first leg next Thursday and second leg next Sunday on a home and away basis.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals