HAGL TAKE ON SLNA IN FINAL OF VIETNAM NATIONAL CUP

HAGL made sure that they have the chance to win their first ever National Cup when they beat defending champions SHB Da Nang 4-2 on penalty shootouts in the semi-finals that was played at the Chi Lang Stadium.

The score at the end of regulation was 1-1.

“We lost at Chi Lang during the V-League (the national premier league) season but today we were successful and cashed in a debt,” said Kiatisuk Senamuang (pix), the head coach of HAGL.

“We played much better than we did one month ago thanks to the return of striker Evaldo Goncaves. Da Nang also had a good game but nothing could be said when we started the shoot-out.”

Goncaves scored first for HAGL in the seventh minute after he beat the off-side trap and blasted the ball into the left corner.

Da Nang was only able to level the score with a shot from Truong Quang Tuan in the last minute of play following a series of misses by striker Diego Merlo.

In the other semi-final match, Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) trounced Megastar Nam Dinh 3-0 at home in Vinh City.

SLNA’s Rajko Vidovic scored twice before teammate Silveira scored the other goal for the win.