Thể Công Viettel ensure quarter-final spot

Thể Công Viettel players celebrate their goal scored during the 2-0 win over Hoàng Anh Gia Lai at the National U21 Football Championship on August 3 in Hưng Yên Province. Photo of VFF

HƯNG YÊN – Title favourite Thể Công Viettel reached the quarter finals of the National U21 Football Championship after beating Hoàng Anh Gia Lai 2-0 on August 3 in Hưng Yên Province.

After a balanced first half with both sides working each other out, Thể Công showed off their strength after the break.

Vũ Bá Hải Dương and Nguyễn Công Phương scored one apiece in the 65th and 67th minutes to seal the second win for the team of soldiers.

With six points after two games, Thể Công ensured their quarter-final spot ignoring the result of other matches.

In another match of Group A, hosts PVF needed a win against HCM City to keep their knock-out stage hopes alive.

However, the hosts suffered a big blow when Lê Cảnh Gia Huy opened the scoring for HCM City in the 25th minute.

PVF coach Nguyễn Duy Đông asked his players to speed up and open more attempts to find goals. From a counter-attack Anh Quân gave a perfect ball to the box to teammate Phạm Văn Sơn whose close tap-in found the back of the net at the 36th.

Nguyễn Lê Phát made it 2-1 for the hosts with a close-range finish three minutes after the break and Nguyễn Hoàng Anh scored another at the 60th mark. Đào Quang Anh scored his tournament’s first goal at the last seconds.

In Group C, Đông Á Thanh Hóa dominated Long An to win 2-0 while Quảng Nam beat Bình Phước 4-3.

In Group B, Hà Nội were tied 2-2 by SHB Đà Nẵng and Đồng Tháp beat Lâm Đồng: 4-3.

The next matches will be held on August 5. VNS