Ho Chi Minh City FC defeated The Cong

TP HCM coach Phùng Thành Phương made a successful V-League debut, leading TP HCM to a 2-0 victory over Thể Công in Round 4 of the 2023-2024 V-League season.

After parting ways with coach Vu Tien Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City FC was in disarray. The players and assistants collectively filed a claim for unpaid wages, while the club had yet to find a new coach. Mr. Phung Thanh Phuong accepted the role as interim coach, along with assistants Dinh Hong Vinh and Nguyen Liem Thanh.

The team's management subsequently settled part of the debt and promised to pay the rest in the near future. Therefore, despite being eliminated from the National Cup after losing 1-2 to Binh Duong four days ago, the morale of the Ho Chi Minh City players remains somewhat stable. Playing at home against The Cong - a team that hasn't been in particularly good form since the beginning of the season (one win, two draws) - is not an overly challenging task for Ho Chi Minh City.

Coach Thanh Phuong celebrates with goalkeeper Le Giang after Ho Chi Minh City FC defeated The Cong 2-0 in Round 4 of the V-League 2023-2024 at Thong Nhat Stadium on the evening of December 3rd. Photo: Dong Huyen

The match was interrupted in the early minutes when goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang collided with a The Cong player, and had to have his head bandaged before continuing to play. Both teams then played cautiously, failing to create an exciting attacking game. In this match, Ho Chi Minh City faced a slight disadvantage due to the injury of striker Brendon.

But the home team still found a way to score against The Cong. In the 38th minute, from a corner kick, the ball was cleared by a The Cong player but not far enough. After Hoang Phuc's follow-up shot failed, striker Cheick Timite was quick to tap the ball into the net from close range, beating goalkeeper Van Phong. After the first goal, which was somewhat lucky, Timite only needed five more minutes to prove his ability. This time, he dribbled past the The Cong defense and flicked the ball past Van Phong to double the lead.

In this match, The Cong lacked midfielder Jaha, but still had national team players like Hoang Duc, Thanh Binh, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Duc Chien, Phan Tuan Tai... However, they failed to demonstrate superiority against the home team. The visitors' plays were too monotonous and easily neutralized by Ho Chi Minh City FC - who had by then adopted a deep defensive stance. The only significant chance the visitors created came in the 65th minute, when Nham Manh Dung headed the ball past goalkeeper Le Giang, but it went wide of the post.

The Cong team (in red) were unlucky with their shots in the second half. Photo: Dong Huyen

The 0-2 defeat saw The Cong drop to seventh place with five points, while Ho Chi Minh City FC rose to fourth with seven points. After the match, The Cong's coach, Thach Bao Khanh, admitted that his players did not perform well. He said: "In the first half, we didn't play well, allowing Ho Chi Minh City FC many opportunities, which they converted into goals. Adjustments in the second half helped The Cong play better, but we were unlucky not to convert them into goals. We need to improve and return to a more synchronized and cohesive playing spirit after this match."

Meanwhile, coach Phung Thanh Phuong viewed this victory as a relief for the entire Ho Chi Minh City FC after the recent turmoil. He also revealed that he had thoroughly studied the players and playing style of The Cong, focusing on neutralizing midfielder Hoang Duc. "Clearly, Hoang Duc is a good midfielder and can easily create breakthroughs, so my players followed the tactics to contain him and succeeded," said Phuong.

In Round 5 of the 2023-2024 Night Wolf National Championship, Ho Chi Minh City will host Hai Phong at Thong Nhat Stadium, while The Cong will travel to the mountainous region to meet HAGL.

Duc Dong

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/clb-tp-hcm-danh-bai-the-cong-4684255.html