Viettel FC proved that not even another suspension of football could hamper their excellent season after they dismantled Becamex Binh Duong 4-1 to clinch a Vietnamese National Cup semifinal ticket on Saturday night. The Red Tornado raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes to utterly stun the 3-time Vietnamese National Cup winners, who never recovered their way into the game.
Sitting nicely in 2nd place in the 2020 V.League 1 table, Viettel are having a season to remember right now and they added more to their achievements this season by qualifying to this year’s Vietnamese National Cup semifinal. Despite enduring some pressure from fellow V.League 1 team Binh Duong in the opening 10 minutes of the match, Viettel managed to draw first blood in the 13th minute through former Chiangmai FC man Caique Lemes, taking advantage of a free-kick from Ho Khac Ngoc and an excellent pass from Nguyen Hoang Duc.
Before Binh Duong could recompose themselves after that goal, they found themselves 2-0 down after Khac Ngoc himself etched his name on the scoreboard in the 15th minute, latching onto a long ball from Nguyen Trong Hoang before outsmarting Binh Duong goalkeeper Pham Van Tien.
Despite being two goals to the good, Viettel refused to let go of the gas and once again showed their ruthlessness at an empty Hang Day Stadium in the 18th minute. Khac Ngoc lobbed a long ball towards Bruno Cantanhede, who raced down the left wing before firing off a powerful shot that easily defeated Van Tien. 3-0 Viettel and the game was pretty much wrapped up by then.
Binh Duong did got themselves some measure of consolation in the 25th minute after Youssof Toure dispatched a calmly-taken penalty, however Viettel had time to rub salt into Binh Duong’s wounds in the 3rd minute of injury time with a fourth goal, courtesy of substitute Vu Minh Tuan. The match ended 4-1 for Viettel and the Red Tornado found themselves marching their way into the Vietnamese National Cup semifinal.
In the semifinal, Viettel will take on Than Quang Ninh, who edged out fellow V.League 1 side Hong Linh Ha Tinh 3-2 in the early kick-off at the Ha Tinh Stadium. The Hero Miner went ahead in the 6th minute thanks to Jamaican striker Jeremie Lynch, however Ha Tinh drew level in the 34th minute thanks to a goal from Victor Mansaray. Quang Ninh did assume leadership soon after, scoring on the stroke of half-time through Tran Trung Hieu before adding another goal in the 63rd minute through Giach Tran Quach Tan. Ha Tinh threatened to take the match into extra-time after they reduced the deficit through an 86th minute penalty from Bruno Henrique, however Quang Ninh hung onto their slender advantage and found themselves through to the semifinal.
With Hanoi FC taking on Ho Chi Minh FC at the Hang Day Stadium in the other semifinal, Quang Ninh will host Viettel at the Cam Pha Stadium, with both matches to be played on September 16th.