SLNA beat Thanh Hóa in National Cup semi-final

Sông Lam Nghệ An celebrate beating Thanh Hóa in the first leg semi-final of the National Cup yesterday. – Photo zing.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI – Sông Lam Nghệ An (SLNA) beat Thanh Hóa  三- 二 in the first leg of their semi-final in the National Cup yesterday.

The game was held at Thanh Hóa Stadium.

SLNA have won this event three times, while the hosts Thanh Hóa have never tasted victory.

Before the game, SLNA had won eight games in a row in the national premier league, while Thanh Hóa had three wins and two draws in their last five matches.

In the  一 三th minute, receiving a pass from defender Đình Đồng, Pape Omar headed in the opener for Thanh Hóa, but SLNA replied three minutes later through Jeremie Dwayne Lynch. His long shot beat goalie Bùi Tiến Dũng who shone for the national U 二 三 team at the AFC U 二 三 Championship held in China in January, where Việt Nam finished runners-up for the first time in history.

Lynch’s goal spurred SLNA into action, and their second came on the counter attack in the  二 二nd through Michael Olaha.

SLNA had control of the game, but a mistake by goalkeeper Phan Đình Vũ Hải allowed Rimario Gordon to level the score at  二- 二 for the hosts Thanh Hóa in the  三 七th minute.

After the break, coach Nguyễn Đức Thắng changed his tactics, and Hai upped his game, saving well from a corner in the  七 一st minute and another save from Vũ Minh Tuấn two minutes later.

With the clock ticking down, Lynch clinched the match at  三- 二 for SLNA.

The two teams will meet again in the second leg on September  五.

In yesterday’s other game, Hà Nội drew with Bình Dương  三- 三. – VNS