A PSM Makassar side missing some key players were well-beaten by Hai Phong FC in their opening AFC Cup group stage match on Thursday at the Lach Tray Stadium, with the Red Tide cruising to a 3-0 win over the Juku Eja.
Bernardo Tavares’ PSM side were missing three important players – captain Wiljan Pluim and defender Yuran Fernandes, both of whom being linked to moves away from the club, as well as Yakob Sayuri, who was sidelined with an injury.
And the loss of lanky Cape Verdean defender Yuran was very apparent as in the 8th minute, his deputy Erwin Gutawa inadvertently diverted a Nguyen Trong Dai cross into his own net, giving hosts Hai Phong the early advantage.
Despite Everton nearly equalizing for PSM shortly after conceding, it was Hai Phong who dictated proceedings in the opening half-an-hour of the match, taking advantage of the absence of Pluim’s creative influence within the PSM midfield.
Joseph Mpande drove into the penalty area and then delivered a pass to Nguyen Huu Son. However, Son’s shot from the edge of the box narrowly missed the target. In the 22nd minute, Luong Hoang Nam struck a perfect volley that hit the post. The rebound went to Bicou Bissainethe, who was 20 yards from the goal, but his shot, which was heading for the top corner, was saved by PSM goalkeeper Reza Arya Pratama.
In response, Luong Xuan Truong’s ensuing corner almost went in at the near post, putting pressure on PSM. However, Reza was alert enough to push the ball away to safety once more.
Although Hai Phong dominated the opening 30 minutes, PSM gradually asserted themselves and came close to equalizing. Nguyen Dinh Trieu in the Red Tide’s goal had to make a save from Adilson Silva’s long-range attempt, and then he palmed Yance Sayuri’s curling shot around the post just before half-time.
In the second half, Hai Phong once again demonstrated their superiority, with Luong Hoang Nam posing a constant threat to the Juku Eja. In the 55th minute, Hoang Nam burst into the penalty area and cut the ball back, but Trong Dai’s shot from the edge of the six-yard box sailed over the bar.
However, Trong Dai’s miss mattered little as Chu Dinh Nghiem’s Hai Phong side extended their lead with 17 minutes left. Nguyen Tuan An was released behind the PSM defense, and his pass found Hoang Nam with enough time and space to calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner.
Hoang Nam played a pivotal role once again in the closing minutes when he was fouled in the penalty area by Rasyid Bakri. Ugandan striker Mpande confidently converted from the spot in the 86th minute to secure a well-deserved victory.