Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Vietnam’s Ha Noi T&T booked their place in the second round of qualifying for the 2014 AFC Champions League on Wednesday with a comfortable 3-0 win over I-League side Pune at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Stadium.
All three goals came in the second half as the V.League champions set up a clash with Thailand’s Muangthong United next week as they aim to become the first Vietnamese side to reach the group stages of the continental club championship since 2008.
“Our team prepared very well for this game,” said Ha Noi coach Phan Thanh Hung. “Today our players played according to the strategy and I am happy with the performance.
“Before the game, we tried to gather a lot of information about Pune FC. We knew the team is strong in the air, so I asked the players to play short-passes and keep the ball to control the game. We defended tight and attacked fast, as I would have liked.”
After a goalless first half, former Australia youth international Sam Gallagher gave Ha Noi the lead seven minutes after the restart and, 19 minutes later, Nguyen Van Quyet doubled his side’s advantage with an assist from Trinidad and Tobago international Hughton Hector.
Hector then added the third himself seven minutes from time to seal the win for Thanh Hung’s side and set up the clash with Muangthong on February 8.
The remaining matches in the first round of qualifiers for the 2014 AFC Champions League will be played on February 2.