On the evening of September 25, Thanh Hoa played away against Terengganu in the second match of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup 2024/2025 (Southeast Asia’s Champions League). This trip was anticipated to be a tough challenge for coach Popov’s squad.
Terengganu entered the match with strong form and the advantage of playing on their home ground. Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa faced the challenge without their top scorer, Rimario, who was sidelined due to a long-term injury.
As the match began, Terengganu applied heavy pressure on the Vietnamese side. After 20 minutes, the home team took the lead. In a crucial play, Akhyar Rasid skillfully dribbled past Gustavo and Thanh Long before launching a powerful shot that beat goalkeeper Xuan Hoang to make it 1-0.
Building on their momentum after the opener, Terengganu continued to press Thanh Hoa. In the 40th minute, the hosts executed a well-coordinated attack, with Azam Azmi driving the ball to the byline and delivering a precise cross back for Manuel Ott, who finished sharply to double Terengganu’s lead to 2-0.
With two goals down, Thanh Hoa had nothing to lose and pushed their lineup forward in search of a goal. In the first minute of stoppage time (45+1), Luiz Antonio stepped up and delivered a brilliant free-kick, cutting the deficit to 2-1 for the Vietnamese side.
In the second half, Thanh Hoa pressed for an equalizer. Luck favored them in the 53rd minute when a chaotic situation in the penalty area led to a Terengganu defender accidentally putting the ball into his own net, leveling the match at 2-2.
After the equalizer, the game became even more intense, with both teams creating chances to score the winning goal. However, neither side could capitalize, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
This result marked a valuable point for Thanh Hoa, as they continue their journey in the ASEAN Club Championship.
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