V.League 1 champions Hà Nội vs Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh in the National Cup yesterday. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội and Becamex Bình Dương made it through to the quarter-finals of the National Cup yesterday after wins against second-tier opponents.

V.League 1 champions Hà Nội defeated Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh 3-1, while National Cup champions Bình Dương crushed Tây Ninh 5-0.

At the Hàng Đẫy Stadium in Hà Nội, midfielder Phạm Đức Huy’s brace helped the home side to a 3-1 win over Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh.

The capital side reached the AFC Cup ASEAN Zonal final last week and rested key players Đoàn Văn Hậu, Nguyễn Quang Hải and Phạm Thành Lương for this domestic fixture, but were still no match for the V.League 2 team.

Just 20 minutes in, Nguyễn Văn Dũng nodded in after defender Đỗ Duy Mạnh flicked on a corner to open the scoring for the hosts.

Huy netted both his goals in the second half, while the visitors notched a consolation late on through Phạm Tuấn Hải.

Meanwhile, Hà Nội’s opponents in the continental final Bình Dương cruised to victory against Tây Ninh in the Gò Đậu Stadium in the southern province of Bình Dương.

The V.League 2 side were under the cosh from the beginning but also managed to make it to the break goalless, until young striker Nguyễn Tiến Linh scored late on.

The away side battled bravely early in the second half, but their resistance broke in a 28-miunte spell as Bình Dương scored four times from the 61st to the 88th minute, with Linh recording a brace.

In the dying minutes, Tây Ninh won a penalty but goalie Bùi Tấn Trường saved the effort easily to preserve his clean sheet. — VNS