CAHN and 120 minutes of unfinished dream

CAHN "held the gold but let it fall" in the final match with Buriram United - Photo: CAHN .

At Chang Arena, under the pouring rain and the tremendous pressure from more than 20,000 Buriram United fans, CAHN players entered the second leg of the final with the mentality of warriors. They knew clearly that the journey to win the Southeast Asian Cup was not a bed of roses. 90 minutes or even more would be the greatest measure of the mettle and the dream of reaching the heights of Vietnamese football.

Holding gold but letting it fall....

Right from the first minutes, CAHN showed that they did not come to Thailand to draw. On the contrary, Mano Poling and his team entered the match with confidence and determination, as if ready to bring the Cup back to Hanoi .

In the 15th minute, Nguyen Quang Hai, who carried both the expectations and responsibilities of a star, left his mark with a skillful backheel, opening up space for Cao Pendant Quang Vinh to charge forward. The cool, sophisticated finish from the defender of Vietnamese-French descent put the away team ahead, silencing the cheers in the Chang Arena stands.

Then Leo Artur's penalty goal in the 39th minute was like a ray of glory, it was very close to the police team.

In the stands, a small group of Vietnamese fans began to dream. On the pitch, the players held their heads high and played proactive, solid football. And goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, in a day of excellent performance, continuously denied the Buriram United strikers' shots.

CAHN lost to Buriram United in a penalty shootout at Chang Arena. Photo: CAHN .

But that's football, there are always unpredictable twists and turns. No matter how hard Nguyen Filip defended in front of the goal, he couldn't stop the storm from coming. 3 consecutive goals helped Buriram United turn the tables.

The pressure was on, the rain was still pouring down, the pitch was slippery and wet and the legs were starting to get tired. But the spirit of the warriors never wavered.

Extra time saw the Vietnamese representative rise once again. Alan, after a decisive run, finished the ball into Buriram United's net to tie the score 3-3 (5-5 on aggregate). Hope flared up again.

On the bench, CAHN players held hands tightly. On the field, Nguyen Filip continued to make miraculous saves to withstand the pressure created by the home team.

Bringing the match to a penalty shootout, CAHN did what seemed impossible. Nguyen Filip even blocked 2 shots from the home team.

But his teammates were not cold enough. The three times the ball did not go into the net, the three times the fans' hearts tightened. Buriram United's decisive kick ended the Vietnamese team's dream of winning the championship. Sadly, the dream was only one ball away from becoming a reality. CAHN lost 2-3 in the nerve-wracking penalty shootout. Tears of regret fell on the players' faces.

Head up, aim for the goals ahead

To be fair, CAHN did not lose because they played badly, but because football always has room for cruel cuts of fate. The 120 minutes in Thailand was a true battle, a battle from physical to mental.

CAHN took the lead, overturned, equalized and fought to the end. No great achievement comes easy. Although they did not bring the cup back to Vietnam, CAHN players can still hold their heads high when leaving Chang Arena, where they left all their sweat, tears and hearts.

This defeat is not the end, but a stepping stone for CAHN to move towards bigger goals. They will return to the V.League, the National Cup and most importantly, they now understand that they are capable of reaching the continent. This is the long-term direction that the team's leadership has outlined since returning to the V.League map in 2023.

Coach Polking and his team won the runner-up position of the Southeast Asian Cup - Photo: CAHN.

CAHN has squad depth, team spirit, a combination of experienced skills and youthful enthusiasm. Moreover, they have a team that is not afraid of failure, ready to learn and improve.

Chang Arena closed in the rain on the night of May 21. But in that rain, there were not only tears, but also hope. The unfinished dream will be the motivation for CAHN to come back stronger. Because in football, no one is defeated forever if they do not give up.

We may lose today, but if we keep the spirit we showed in Buriram, one day the Southeast Asian Cup will call CAHN's name.

Source: https://znews.vn/cahn-va-120-phut-cua-giac-mo-dang-do-post1554708.html