Football

Midfielder China of Thép Xanh Nam Định (right) runs the ball away from two players of Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their AFC Champions League Two's Round of 16 second leg tie on February 19. VNS Photo Lâm Thỏa

HÀ NỘI — After losing 4-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their Round of 16 second leg tie, Thép Xanh Nam Định are out of the AFC Champions League Two.

During the second of two matches on February 19 in Hiroshima, Japan, the Vietnamese champions failed to score, leaving them down 7-0 in aggregate. The team leave the continental tournament, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima cruising into the quarter-finals.

The Japanese side will face either Thailand's Muangthong United FC or Lion City Sailors of Singapore in the next stage.

Nam Định looked promising at the start, letting Sanfrecce Hiroshima off the hook in the fourth minute as after China cut through the defence, weaved his way into the box before pulling his effort just wide of the right post.

But they started to trail in the 10th minute after Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s Naoto Arai floated his corner into the box to find an unmarked Sho Sasaki who volleyed home from close range.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima should have doubled their advantage in the 14th minute following an attacking sequence which saw Mutsuki Kato sending a well-timed cross to Sota Nakamura, who dragged his effort just wide of the left post.

Nam Định dropped deeper into their own half as they kept out efforts from Ryo Germain, Hayao Kawabe and Arai in the 31st minute, while China’s charge into the box eight minutes later was cut short by an imposing Sanfrecce Hiroshima defence.

The Vietnamese side had to sustain further pressure after the break with Sanfrecce Hiroshima extending their lead in the 54th minute with Hayao Kawabe playing the ball for Nakamura, who drilled his shot past Nam Định keeper Trần Liêm Điểu.

Shuto Nakano added the third in the 66th minute after finishing off Arai’s corner with a towering header from close range before Nakamura struck in the first minute of added time to put the game to bed.

Speaking to reporters after the game coach Vũ Hồng Việt of Nam Định admitted there was a big difference in playing levels between the two clubs and believed in Sanfrecce Hiroshima's winning this season.

"Sanfrecce Hiroshima were too strong. We tried best but could not do anything against them," he said.

"The weather in Hiroshima was also freezing and it partly affected our performance. Hiroshima is definitely a candidate for the championship title and I wish them to win this year." VNS