Thanh Hoa FC won the National Cup for the first time in history, defeating Viettel FC in the final on August 20 to get their hands on the title. After a 0-0 draw in 90 minutes, coach Velizar Popov’s team won 5-3 on penalties. All 5 Thanh Hoa players successfully took their kicks, while on Viettel FC’s side, captain and center-back Bui Tien Dung was the only one who missed.
Sharing after the match, Coach Popov affirmed that Thanh Hoa Club was somewhat lucky, but it cannot be denied that this is a worthy title given the team's efforts throughout the season.
Coach Popov enjoys fun with his family
Thanh Hoa Club won convincingly
"This is a great and surprising season for Thanh Hoa Club. We have worked hard to train and compete with all our might. The National Cup championship can be considered a worthy reward for the tireless efforts of the coaching staff, players and the entire team.
In this final match, Thanh Hoa Club won in a thrilling penalty shootout. Many people may say it was luck. I agree. However, it cannot be denied that the players followed the right tactics, playing tightly to prevent Viettel Club from finding a way to get into goalkeeper Thanh Diep's goal," Coach Popov affirmed.
The Bulgarian strategist also emphasized that Thanh Hoa Club does not have as many stars as Hanoi Club, Viettel Club or Hanoi Police Club, but still won the National Cup and played well in the V-League. That contrast makes the Thanh Hoa team's season even more impressive.
Thanh Hoa Club has a memorable season
"As I said, this is an extremely impressive season for me personally. Thanh Hoa team must admit that it has a much more modest squad than other teams such as Hanoi, Viettel or Hanoi Police. But up to this moment, Thanh Hoa Club has secured a place in the top 4 of V-League 2023 and won the National Cup. This is a very important title for Thanh Hoa Club", Coach Popov affirmed.
The coach of Thanh Hoa Club hopes that with the excitement, the whole team will play their best in the final match of this season, against Hanoi Police Club in the final round of V-League 2023 on August 27.
"I would like to thank the fans for accompanying and cheering for the whole team to win this historic cup. We still have 1 more match in V-League 2023. The whole team will try our best in the competition with Hanoi Police Club," Coach Popov concluded.
Referee Vu Nguyen Vu
This exciting match would have been more complete if it weren't for the refereeing error at the end of the match. Referee Vu Nguyen Vu caused controversy when he called a mistake in a situation where he thought the ball had touched the hand of Viettel FC striker Mohamed Essam, right when this player swung his foot to shoot dangerously towards Thanh Diep's goal. Slow motion showed that the ball did not touch Essam's hand, but the Egyptian player controlled the ball with his chest. Therefore, the referee let Thanh Hoa kick the ball up. If the referee had made the right decision, Viettel might not have missed a clear opportunity to attack.
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