After 5 previous matches, the Vietnamese representative won 1, lost 4, and had no chance of advancing, while the defending champion Urawa needed 3 points to compete for the best second place. With their superior class, Urawa flooded into the Hanoi FC field right after the opening whistle, and only needed 5 minutes to have a chance to score after a mistake by central defender Dao Van Nam in the penalty area. However, goalkeeper Van Hoang played excellently with a save, helping the home team Hanoi keep their net.
Hanoi FC can proudly leave the tournament with 2 wins
This was a turning point, because after Hanoi FC stood firm in the first half (0-0 draw), something unexpected happened after the break. In the 53rd minute, center-back Van Nam "atoned for his sins" with a precise finish in the penalty area to open the score for the Vietnamese representative. Before that, center-back Le Tallec had headed the ball dangerously, forcing goalkeeper Urawa to dive to save the goal, opening up a "runway" for Van Nam to score.
Tuan Hai made the score 2-1
Although Urawa equalized in the 65th minute, Hanoi FC still played a very persistent defensive counter-attack. In the 84th minute, Tuan Hai became the hero with a successful penalty kick (the Urawa defender let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area, so the away team was awarded a penalty), sealing a 2-1 victory for Hanoi FC.
Although leaving the tournament with 6 points and 3rd place, Hanoi FC can be proud of the 2 victories against Wuhan Three Towns (reigning champions of China) and Urawa (reigning champions of the AFC Champions League). Coach Le Duc Tuan's team also contributed to Urawa becoming former champions, when the Japanese representative could not get past the group stage.
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