After losing to PVF, U17 Song Lam Nghe An were eliminated in the semi-finals.

U17 Song Lam Nghe An took the lead but ultimately had to stop at the semi-finals. Photo: Chung Le

The match between U17 Song Lam Nghe An and U17 PVF is a highly anticipated game, considered an early final of the season. While U17 PVF boasts its strongest squad, SLNA faces a disadvantage due to the absence of captain Quang Vinh, who is suspended. Midfielder Nguyen Van Linh will fill in for him. Striker Tran Quoc Hoa is also unavailable due to an injury sustained in the match against Binh Phuoc.

True to the nature of a semi-final match, both teams started cautiously and didn't push too hard in their attacks. However, with many players possessing evenly matched basic skills, U17 Song Lam Nghe An controlled the game better than their opponents.

But it wasn't until the 20th minute of the match that the Nghe An strikers created their first opportunity. From an attack down the left wing, the ball was crossed to Phung Van Nam, but unfortunately, the striker's header wasn't powerful enough to beat goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Long of PVF.

After the opportunity, the excitement of the U17 Song Lam Nghe An strikers was heightened. The team from Nghe An created continuous pressure on the opponent's half of the field. A series of chances were created in front of Thanh Long's goal. However, the final shots from Le Dinh Long Vu and Phung Van Nam were not lucky enough to find the back of the net against PVF.

The joy of the U17 Song Lam Nghe An players after scoring the opening goal. Photo: Chung Le

The left wing was chosen by the Nghe An U17 team as their main attacking spearhead. The players under coach Phan Tien Hoai applied one-two passing combinations quite smoothly. From the ball's movement down the left wing, it was passed back inside to the forwards. This style of play forced the PVF players to retreat deep into their own half to defend.

In the 35th minute, a clear opportunity was created in front of the opponent's goal. However, luck was not on the side of the yellow-shirted team. The situation arose from a pass by Nguyen Trong Son, the ball reached Phung Van Nam's feet. But the striker's shot went straight to goalkeeper Thanh Long.

Forty-five minutes passed with much disappointment for the Nghe An team. They missed no fewer than three opportunities in front of Thanh Long's goal. The Nghe An strikers still lacked the necessary composure to find the back of the net.

In the second half, U17 Song Lam Nghe An continued to dominate and created the first opportunity in front of PVF's goal. It seemed as though a goal was imminent for the yellow-shirted team in the 65th minute. However, from a distance of less than 5 meters, the U17 Nghe An striker's shot hit a PVF defender's leg and went wide.

After creating numerous opportunities in front of the opponent's goal, U17 Song Lam Nghe An finally broke the deadlock. In the 75th minute, from a free kick, Captain Le Nguyen Hoang delivered a tricky cross, allowing Nguyen Quang Luc to unleash a powerful shot that beat goalkeeper Thanh Long.

However, less than 5 minutes later, PVF restored parity to the match. From a pass on the right wing by Thai Ba Dat, Quang Tu made a clever run into the penalty area and scored against Bao Ngoc.

In the final minutes of the first half, both teams exchanged blows. However, the score remained unchanged after 90 minutes, and the two teams had to decide the winner through a tense penalty shootout.

The outstanding performance of substitute goalkeeper Nguyen Minh Kha helped U17 PVF secure a victory against U17 Song Lam Nghe An in a tense penalty shootout. U17 Nghe An sadly bowed out in the semi-finals of the 2022 National U17 Championship.