The penultimate matchday of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ witnessed Công An Hà Nội FC become the first side through to the semi-finals of the tournament, courtesy of a late winner from Le Van Do against Kuala Lumpur City FC.
Like Van Do, there were several stars who came up with top performances to keep their sides’ hopes of a place in the knockout stages alive during Matchday Four with seven teams about to battle for the remaining three places in the next stage during the final set of fixtures on 5 and 6 February.
ASEAN United FC takes a look at the six players who were named the Shopee Star of the Match in the latest set of games and asks you, the fans, to pick who you think performed the best by voting at the bottom of the article.
Luiz Antonio (Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC)
Though Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC failed to find a way past PKR Svay Rieng FC defence in a goalless draw at Thanh Hoa Stadium, their Brazilian star Luiz Antonio was the standout performer in the Group A contest. He not only tested Svay Rieng shot-stopper Vireak Dara on multiple occasions but also created a match-leading three chances for his teammates.
Thanh Hóa must defeat PSM Makassar in their final group match next month in order to progress and Antonio’s display will go a long way in deciding their fortunes.
Freddy Alvarez (BG Pathum United)
A brilliant all-round display from Freddy Alvarez helped BG Pathum United come back from behind to defeat Shan United FC of Myanmar 4-1 and climb to the summit of Group A ahead of the final matchday.
The Costa Rican attacking midfielder made the Rabbits tick by moving the ball around the park and creating openings for his teammates, while he also converted from the penalty spot in the 64th minute to cancel out Moussa Bakayoko’s opener for Shan and sparked their fightback.
Nurillo Tukhtasinov (Terengganu FC)
Nurillo Tukhtasinov was the creative fulcrum for Terengganu FC as they edged PSM Makassar 1-0 to move into second place in Group A. The Uzbek midfielder created chances for Ismahil Akinade and Akhyar Rashid early on before he earned a penalty for his side when his cross hit the hand of Ananda Raehan just past the hour mark.
Safawi Rasid converted from the spot for the only goal of the game and head coach Badrul Afzan Razali will be banking on Tukhtasinov to take the Malaysians through to the next stage.
Maxime Lestienne (Lion City Sailors FC)
Though Lion City Sailors FC failed to get a win against 10-man Buriram United that would have bolstered their hopes of reaching the semi-finals, it wasn’t for the lack of trying. And the man who came closest to giving them that victory was Maxime Lestienne, who struck the woodwork with a brilliant curling effort from the edge of the box in the 15th minute.
The Belgian also drew the foul that led to the dismissal of Kenneth Dougall later in the half, but the Singaporeans failed to make the numerical advantage count against the Thai champions.
Fajar Fathur Rahman (Borneo FC Samarinda)
Fajar Fathur Rahman was deployed in a midfield role by Borneo FC Samarinda head coach Joaquin Gomez in their crucial Group B encounter against Kaya FC-Iloilo and the 22-year-old, who usually plays as a right-back, finished the game as the best player on the field.
The Indonesian youngster, who has been with the club since 2020, created a match-leading five chances during the 90 minutes against the Filipino outfit proving his versatility.
Le Van Do (Công An Hà Nội FC)
For the second game running, Le Van Do bagged the Shopee Star of the Match award - this time scoring a 91st-minute winner to help Công An Hà Nội FC edge a nine-man Kuala Lumpur City FC and maintain their perfect record in the tournament.
After scoring in their 2-1 win against Kaya on Matchday Three, Van Do only entered the field as a substitute in the 59th minute but he threatened to score all evening before grabbing a crucial goal that confirmed his side’s place in the last four.
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