Bali: PSM Makassar booked their ticket to the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ semi-finals after a 3-0 win over Vietnam’s Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC on Wednesday secured second place in Group A while also eliminating their opponents.
Goals either side of the interval at Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium put the Indonesian hosts in a commanding position, with Daisuke Sakai opening the scoring in first-half stoppage time before Nermin Haljeta doubled the lead just a minute after the restart.
Heljeta’s second of the night with just under 15 minutes remaining then wrapped up the victory as PSM sealed the runners-up spot in the standings behind Thailand’s BG Pathum United as Thanh Hóa exited the tournament after falling to fifth in the table.
Both teams began the game outside of the qualification places in Group A but, with the top two of BG Pathum and Malaysia’s Terengganu FC facing off in the simultaneous kick-off, the winner in Bali was guaranteed a top-two finish.
In a cagey opening 20 minutes, it was Thanh Hóa who had the better of the possession but PSM gave little away at the back and gradually grew into the game before having the first big opportunity in the 33rd minute.
A mix-up at the back between Thanh Hóa goalkeeper Trin Xuan Hoang and left-back Dinh Viet Tu allowed Victor Dethan to steal possession and he broke with pace towards the right byline before cutting the ball back for the unmarked Sakai, who missed a gilt-edged chance by side-footing wide from 12 yards.
Thanh Hóa had a sight on goal themselves five minutes before the interval when Yago Ramos burst through the middle with purpose and slipped the ball right to A Mit whose first-time cross was volleyed high and wide by Nguyen Ngoc My.
The Vietnamese side then missed a glaring opportunity just moments later when Nguyen Thai Son sprung the offside trap to race on to a through ball down the inside left channel, only to miscue his attempt wide of the mark with only goalkeeper Reza Arya Pratama to beat.
However, it was another terrible error at the back that handed the hosts the lead in first-half stoppage time. Xuan Hoang dawdled on the ball for too long and was robbed by Syahrul Lasinari on the edge of the area, and he poked it to Sakai who calmly rounded the scrambling goalkeeper before tucking into the empty net to give his side a half-time lead.
Just a minute into the second half, Bernardo Tavares’ side doubled their advantage following a fine flowing move. Midfielder Ananda Raehan played a lovely ball to the left touchline for the advancing Victor Luiz whose low cross was tucked home by Haljeta from six yards out for his third goal of the campaign.
Xuan Hoang kept the visitors’ slim chances of a comeback alive by denying Dethan with an excellent low save just before the hour after the winger had raced from inside his own half into the Thanh Hóa penalty area.
Ngoc My had a goal ruled out for offside soon after as Velizar Popov’s side sought a way back into the game but Haljeta then killed off the contest with 15 minutes to play by netting PSM’s third.
The Slovenian forward received the ball in his own half, turned and chipped a nice pass to substitute Rizky Eka Pratama on the left side before advancing forward into the opposition penalty area and receiving the ball back from the same player, taking one touch and firing into the back of the net.
Tavares’ night ended on a sour note as he was shown red after an altercation with the referee towards the end of the game, but his side comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to ensure they will return for the two-legged semi-final against Group B winners Công An Hà Nội FC in April.
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