Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Shah Alam: Vietnamese champions Thai Son Nam took a huge step towards the knockout stages of the AFC Futsal Club Championship 2013 Zone 2 Qualifiers after defeating Dural Warriors of Australia 6-2 in their opening Group B match at the Panasonic Sports Complex.
With two of the three Group B sides qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition, Thai Son Nam are the frontrunners to finish the Group at pole position. They will face Indonesian side Pelindo on Saturday.
Both sides were on the top of their defensive game until Kotaro Inaba broke the deadlock through an individual effort in the 15th minute of the first half. Inaba dribbled past two Dural defenders before slotting home the lead through the legs of Dural goalie Nicholas Starr.
“We were physically much more maligned than the opponents because of the heat and humidity so we withered quite a bit at the end of each half,” Dural coach Robert Varela told www.the-afc.com.
“But on performance of my young team, I don’t have any complaint. In fact I am pleased with the boys’ efforts. The score (6-2) is not a true reflection of what had happened in the match. The difference was; they were clinical while our finishing was flat,” he added.
Three of Thai Son Nam goals were scored after, trailing by two goals, Dural resorted to powerplay letting Thai Son Nam hit them in counter-attack.
“It was an open match and it could have gone either way,” Thai Son Nam’s Italian coach Sergio Gargelli echoed Varela.
“We were not in complete control but I believe that the opponents were too young and they looked a bit fatigued than our players. I used all of my players to maintain the tempo throughout the match.
“But we are still not there. Definitely this win is a step forward but anything can happen so we have to remain on our guard,” said the Italian.
Goals
| **Thai Son Nam ** | **Dural Warriors ** |
| Inaba Kotaro 14', 31' | Gregory Giovenali 15' |
| Phung Trong Luan 18', 39' | Adam Bradley 37' |
| Pham Thanh Dat 38', 38' |
Photo: MG Seeto