Cong Phuong scores solo, HAGL enters semi-finals of U21 international tournament

The Vietnamese striker quenched his thirst for goals when he sealed a 3-1 victory for his team against U21 Gangwon after Van Toan scored a double.

After losing 0-1 in the opening match against Thailand, HAGL entered the match on the afternoon of December 22 with high determination. They not only needed a positive result to win a ticket to the next round, but also to regain the trust of the home crowd. In this match, Thong Nhat Stadium was not as crowded as before.

The first 30 minutes were an exciting time as both teams continuously created dangerous situations, and the match took place at a fast pace. Cong Phuong made his first impression by hitting the crossbar after a long pass from Hong Duy.In the next situation, minute 12, goalkeeper Kim Juheon's bad kick made his teammate startled and failed to control the ball, creating an opportunity for Van Toan to steal the ball and score.

If the opening goal was somewhat lucky, Van Toan's second goal showed the true qualities of a national team player. He skillfully dribbled the ball between four Gangwon players and then shot diagonally into the opponent's net in the 16th minute.

Van Toan and Cong Phuong both scored to bring victory to U21 HAGL. Photo: Duc Dong.

Pushed into a situation where they had nothing to lose, Gangwon rose up and created attractive responses. In the 19th minute, a visiting player curled the ball into the post. After that, Park Junha and Van Toan had consecutive chances to shoot in a one-on-one position with the opposing goalkeeper, but both failed. In the 31st minute, Cong Phuong turned around and volleyed, only to be defeated by the goalkeeper's leg.Kim Juheon.

After the break, Gangwon continued to perform well - although the team consisted mainly of 17-18 year old players, making it more difficult for HAGL to approach the goal. The team from Korea even had a goal shortened by Lee Hemin's brilliant finish in the 74th minute. The atmosphere on the field became quiet. A point was enough to advance, but that was not what fans expected from the mountain town team.

Gangwon has caused HAGL many difficulties. Photo: Duc Dong.

The HAGL players were probably aware of that, and with the decisive direction of coach Graechen from the sidelines, they boldly went forward to find more goals. And that came impressively. With about seven minutes left in the second half, Cong Phuong broke into the penalty area, passed a series of defenders, and then kicked the ball into the net. This goal promised to help Cong Phuong relieve his spirit after a period of injury and poor performance due to having to sit on the bench frequently.

In this match, Luong Xuan Truong also performed well when facing the youth team of the club he is about to join. The midfielder from Tuyen Quang had at least two sharp passes, putting Van Toan and Hong Duy in a one-on-one situation with the opposing goalkeeper in the first half but both were missed.

Cong Phuong scored the winning goal. Photo: Duc Dong.

In the semi-finals, U21 HAGL will face U21 Yokohama, a strong team from Japan. The match will take place at 6pm on December 24. A day later, U21 Vietnam will face U21 Thailand.

According to VNE