Vietnamese side Hai Phong FC managed to pass their first continental test in 27 years with flying colors after a spirited performance in extra-time saw the Red Tide beat Hong Kong side Biu Chun Rangers 4-1 at the Mong Kok Stadium in Tuesday’s AFC Champions League preliminary round match.
Playing deep in enemy territory, last year’s V.League 1 runners-up Hai Phong found themselves going 1-0 down in the 41st minute after a spectacular effort from Rangers’ Yumemi Kanda managed to beat Nguyen Dinh Trieu in the Red Tide’s goal.
Rangers, who finished third in last season’s Hong Kong Premier League above established powers Eastern Sports Club, managed to keep Hai Phong at bay throughout most of the second half, with the Vietnamese only carving out their first meaningful chance of the half in the 63rd minute courtesy of a Trieu Viet Hun effort that was saved by Rangers goalie Leung Hing-kit.
However as the match went on, Hai Phong slowly grew themselves into the game and finally got their equalizer in the 88th minute.
Chu Dinh Nghiem’s Hai Phong side were awarded a late penalty following a foul on Yuri Mamute by Jean-Jaques Kilama, and while Leung managed to parry away Yuri’s effort, the rebound fell into Nguyen Tuan Anh who lashed home venomously to restore parity.
A clearly exhausted Rangers were then left open for a Hai Phong comeback in extra-time. Mamute made amends for his earlier missed penalty in the 108th minute to give the Red Tide the lead after he had headed in a Tuan Anh ball into Leung’s net, before substitute Martin Lo took advantage of a clattered Ho Minh Di effort to put the game beyond doubt three minutes later.
And it was game, set, and match Hai Phong in the 116th minute after Mamute completed his brace to seal progression for the Vietnamese with another header.
The thumping win meant that Hai Phong sealed themselves a spot in the ACL play-offs on August 22nd, with Dinh Nghiem’s charges visiting debutants Incheon United of South Korea at the Incheon Football Stadium.