Thái Sơn Nam players cerebrate after their 5-1 quarter-final win at the AFC Futsal Club Championship in Thailand yesterday. Photo the-afc.com

Futsal

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s Thái Sơn Nam advanced to the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Club Championship for the fourth time in a row after a 5-1 win over Shenzhen Nanling Tielang yesterday in Thailand.

The Vietnamese team, who finished second in last year's tournament, were heavy favourites over the Chinese side.

Thái Sơn Nam dominated early, despite having to do without key striker Vũ Đức Tùng due to a toe injury.

Minh Trí, Mạnh Dũng and Đoàn Phát rotated to threaten Chinese team’s area however they were unable to make the breakthrough.

Sergio Rodrigo of Shenzhen nearly opened the scoring in a counter-attack but he failed to find the target, before the first half ended goalless.

Things changed in the second half, as Japanese forward Kazuya Shimizu of Thái Sơn Nam netted in the 22^nd minute, before Trần Thái Huy the Vietnamese side's second with a powerful finish.

Shimizu completed his double in the 35^th minute, scoring into an unguarded net, his tournament-leading seventh goal.

The two other goals went to striker Nguyễn Minh Trí and Tôn Thất Phi in the 37^th and 38^th minutes when Shenzhen pushed up looking for a goal.

Striker Ding Shunjie finally netted a consolation in the last seconds with a shot from close range.

“My players did really good job today. They competed very well and scored many goals,” said Thái Sơn Nam coach Phạm Minh Giang.

“I am really happy as we are in top four. However teams in this round will be really tough. We will try our best for a win,” he said.

On the other side, coach Jurandir Azeredo of Shenzhen said his players were fighting all the time but it was clear that Thái Sơn Nam were a better team.

Thái Sơn Nam will face three-time champions Nagoya Oceans of Japan in the semi-final today at the Bangkok Arena.

Nagoya earlier yesterday defeated Vamos FC of India 3-1 in their quarter-final. VNS