Becamex Binh Duong reach AFC Cup zonal final on away goal

By Lam Thoa   June 26, 2019 | 06:17 pm PT
Becamex Binh Duong reach AFC Cup zonal final on away goal
Becamex Binh Duong players celebrate their away goal in the match against PSM Makassar on June 26, 2019. Photo courtesy of Asian Football Confederation.
It will be an all-Vietnam AFC Cup zonal final after Becamex Binh Duong qualified despite losing in the second leg of the semifinals.

Becamex lost 1-2 to Indonesia’s PSM Makassar on Wednesday but went through on away goals after earlier winning the first leg at home 1-0. They will take on Hanoi FC in the final next month.

In the match at the Pakansari Stadium, PSM Makassar made a slow start and did not create their first chance until the 14th minute.

The match remained scoreless until the fourth additional minute of the first half when, from a corner, Le Tan Tai passed to Ho Tan Tai who crossed for Wander Luiz to head in for the Vietnamese club.

PSM Makassar now had to score thrice to advance, and they started out aggressively in the second half. Binh Duong pulled out two of their attackers and replaced them with defensive players.

In the 75th minute Zulham Zamrub crossed only for defender Ho Tan Tai to inexplicably send a powerful header back at his own net to score an own goal for Binh Duong.

Things got dramatic with three minutes left when an unmarked Aaron Evans volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Tran Duc Cuong from a Zulham cross to make it 2-2 aggregate.

But there was not enough time for the Indonesian club to score a third, and Binh Duong were through.

Another Vietnam club, Hanoi FC, entered the zonal final of the AFC Cup with a 2-1 victory over Filipino Ceres Negros in their second leg semifinal at home on Tuesday.

The first leg of the final will be played at the end of July and the second leg in August.

 
 
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