Torrential rain proceeded kick-off between the Vietnamese pair at Binh Duong Stadium and it was the visitors who coped best in the tricky conditions. They were given the perfect chance to take the lead shortly after the half hour when Nguyen Hung Tien Duc upended Ngan Van Dai and the referee pointed to the spot.
Skipper Van Quyet was the man tasked with putting his side in front only to see his first attempt parried out by Tran Duc Cuong but he then reacted quickest to prod the rebound into the back of the net from close range, much to the delight of the small pocket of Hanoi fans behind the goal.
“It’s always difficult to take a penalty but I take time to concentrate and think about what I’m going to do beforehand,” said Van Quyet, who added to his decisive goal against Ceres Negros in the ASEAN Zonal semi-finals.
“With the wet conditions I was prepared for the rebound if the goalkeeper saved it because I knew it would be hard for him to hold onto the ball. That’s why I was quick to get to the follow-up shot.
“Taking penalties is one of my responsibilities in the team, but I already have a lot of experience in those situations.”
ASEAN Zonal Final - 1st Leg: Becamex Binh Duong v Hanoi FC
With Hanoi having played their last two V.League games in Ho Chi Minh City – around an hour’s drive from Thu Dau Mot City – the side from the north of Vietnam have set up camp in the south of the country for the past two weeks.
The move ultimately proved key as, such is the length of the country, the weather can contrast dramatically, with the south experiencing heavy rainfall at this time of year and the north remaining comparatively dry.
“The bad weather affected us a lot, especially with our fast attacks and combination play,” admitted the forward, who was part of the Hanoi team that reached the 2014 AFC Cup quarter-finals – previously their best performance.
“But we prepared very well for the scenario of these conditions and, even though we have many short players, the whole side played with so much spirit and determination.”
Binh Duong, who missed a late chance when skipper Nguyen Anh Duc headed over, will now make the trip north needing to win in the Vietnamese capital to keep their title hopes alive.
While Hanoi will start as favourites to advance to an Inter-Zone semi-final date against Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr, the game remains on a knife edge and an away goal for Binh Duong would change the whole complexion of the tie.
“This victory only gives us a little advantage but playing at home also brings pressure,” added Van Quyet.
“The whole team must remain fully focused and work even harder in the second leg in order to get the result we need to qualify for the next stage.”
