Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Ha Noi Football Club was held to a 1-1 draw by Ceres Negros from the Philippines in a Group G match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup at My Dinh Stadium yesterday.
Spanish player Bienve Maranon scored the first goal in the 49th minute for Ceres Negros, but Nguyen Van Quyet managed to equalise in the 57th minute.
In another group game, Tampines of Singapore beat Felda United of Myanmar 2-1 to lead the group with three points.
The home draw puts Ha Noi in second place.
Vietnamese national football (V.League) champions Ha Noi FC was off to an offensive start thanks to home fan support.
Van Kien launched a shot on target 10 minutes into the game after teamwork with captain Marronkle Gonzalo.
The hosts kept up the pressure on the visitors’ defence throughout the first quarter.
Ceres Negros replied with a shot from Spanish Bienve Maranon in the 19th minute, but were blocked by Ha Noi’s Filipino defender Alvaro Silva, before the ball rolled to Hanoian goal keeper Phi Minh Long.
In the 24th minute, young midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai of Ha Noi fired a 30m freekick to the target, but found Ceres Negros’s keeper Roland Muller.
Four minutes later, left winger Nguyen Van Dung missed a clear chance to score the first goal of the match when his header hit the post.
French Arnaud Loris of Ha Noi volleyed the ball from a lob in the 31st minute, but it soared wide.
Hanoian strikers launched more attacks in the last minutes of the first half, but they failed to break the deadlock.
After a goaless draw at half time, striker Spanish Bienve Maranon took a rare opportunity to score the first goal in the 49th minute.
Bienve came in to net the ball from a rebound when his teammate’s powerful header was denied by Hanoian keeper Minh Long.
Shocked by the goal, the hosts pushed their squad to equalise.
Top striker Nguyen Van Quyet succeeded in the 57th minute for Ha Noi FC, with a shot in the penalty area to stun Filipino goalie Muller with a powerful volley.
Captain Gonzalo, striker Quang Hai, Van Kien and Arnaud had more attempts to score, but their shots either missed the target or were blocked by the keeper. — VNS