Song Lam Nghe An 1-2 TSW Pegasus
Vinh: Two goals in the last 10 minutes saw TSW Pegasus fight back from a goal down to defeat hosts Song Lam Nghe An 2-1 in their AFC Cup Group F clash at Vinh Stadium.
Nguyen Hong Viet put Song Lam ahead in the 13th minute of a lacklustre first-half but his side paid the price for shutting up shop too early.
The midfielder was sent off just after the hour mark and that proved crucial as Itaparica (Manoel dos Santos Filho) levelled things up for TSW Pegasus in the 82nd minute with a penalty before substitute Gerard Ambassa Guy’s header wrapped up the points six minutes from time and ensured a positive start for the Hong Kong side.
Song Lam fielded a much-changed side and it was Hong Viet who provided the home crowd with a morale-boosting inroad early on.
Known more for his left foot, the opening goal in fact came from a header as he rose highest to nod home following a good cross from the right.
However, both sides did nothing to raise the tempo of the game thereafter, more so in the case of Song Lam, who were missing first-choice striker Kavin Bryan through injury.
The game livened up after the break but the Vietnamese side were left to rue their lack of penetration as Hong Viet picked up his second booking in as many minutes and was given his marching orders by referee Mohammad Wahab.
Buoyed by their numerical advantage, Pegasus pushed forward with attacking intent and at last found a lifeline when veteran Song Lam centre-back Nguyen Huy Hoang, who came on for Ngale Jiemon Thierry, handled the ball in his own box.
Itaparica, who had been at the heart of the prior move for Pegasus, successfully converted the ensuing penalty.
That only served to further weaken Song Lam’s spirits and a severe lapse in concentration from their defenders created the winner for Chan Hiu Ming’s charges.
Defender Guy added weight to his side’s forays into the Song Lam box and in the 84th minute he was presented with a free header which found the back of the net to silence the crowd.
Song Lam coach Nguyen Huu Thang attempted to shake things up in attack when he brought on Nguyen Trong Hoang in the 87th minute but the Vietnamese international midfielder was unable to turn the game around for his side as Pegasus began their AFC Cup campaign with a spirited victory.
http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/clubs/afc-cup/33522-song-lam-nghe-an-v-tsw-pegasus
