Quang Hai and Viet Anh both scored crucial goals, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory for Hanoi Police FC over Kuala Lumpur City in Malaysia on January 23. The win guaranteed their progression to the next round of the 2024 Southeast Asian Club Championship as Group B leaders.
Hanoi Police FC entered the match with nine points from three games and a clear objective: to secure three points and solidify their top position while distancing themselves from third-placed Kuala Lumpur City, who had six points before the match.
Despite facing intense pressure from the home side, Hanoi Police FC had a dream start when Quang Hai delivered a brilliant first touch and a swift strike into the far corner, opening the scoring for the visitors in the 9th minute.
The early goal boosted Hanoi Police FC’s confidence, allowing them to execute their trademark possession-based gameplay. However, a lapse in defensive focus proved costly. A simple attacking move by Kuala Lumpur City culminated in Rudovic’s precise header into the far corner, equalizing the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute.
Before Hanoi Police FC could regain composure, the hosts struck again. From a corner kick, Josue capitalized on weak defensive marking to head the ball into the net, putting Kuala Lumpur City ahead 2-1.
Faced with an unexpected deficit, Hanoi Police FC rallied with determination, increasing their ball control and pushing Kuala Lumpur City into a defensive stance. Their persistence paid off when Viet Anh made a well-timed run to meet a corner kick, heading it past the goalkeeper to level the score at 2-2.
The home side’s frustration became evident as the match progressed, culminating in two red cards. Kamal Azizi was sent off in the 76th minute, followed by Josue in the 88th minute. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, Hanoi Police FC sealed the game in the dying moments. Van Do pounced on a rebound to score the decisive goal, securing a well-deserved 3-2 victory.
This result confirmed Hanoi Police FC’s advancement as Group B winners with a perfect record of four wins from four matches, leaving their rivals trailing far behind. With their progression secured ahead of the final group stage game against Borneo FC, the match becomes a mere formality. This allows Hanoi Police FC’s players to enjoy a relaxing lead-up to the Lunar New Year celebrations, buoyed by their successful campaign so far.
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