Hanoi: Goalkeeper Filip Nguyen wants Công An Hà Nội FC to be more clinical in attack when they face Buriram United in the second leg of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ final at Buriram Stadium next week.
The Vietnamese side were held to a 2-2 draw by Buriram in the first leg at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday as Peter Zulj headed in a late equaliser from a rebound after Nguyen had saved from Guilherme Bissoli’s initial effort.
Leo Artur and Alan Grafite had scored for the hosts in front of a large home crowd but the Thai champions managed to come back on both occasions, with their defender Curtis Good also scoring from Zulj’s corner kick.
“We should have won this game,” said Nguyen after the entertaining draw in the Vietnamese capital city.
“But we made mistakes, especially from set-pieces. This was the biggest difference for us.
“We prepared for set-pieces and corners before the game, but we conceded a goal straight from a corner kick,” the 32-year-old shot-stopper added.
Công An dominated the first 45 minutes of the first leg as they generated an expected goals (xG) of 1.36 from seven shots before the break, compared to Buriram's xG of 0.09.
But Osmar Loss’ side mounted a strong fightback in the second half to draw level through Austrian Zulj.
“We were leading 2-1 and we should have kept the score like that. We were running out of energy, so it was a little bit difficult,” Nguyen said.
“We still played really well and created many chances but we just didn't convert them into goals. They scored two goals very easily but we needed many chances to score our two.
“The game in Buriram will be very different. We must score from less chances in the second leg,” the Vietnam international added.
Nguyen also said that his teammates must get used to the physicality of the Shopee Cup™.
“I like this. This is the difference between V.League 1 and international games. Referees do not whistle as much like in our league and I think our players need to get used to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Buriram captain Theerathon Bunmathan is hopeful that he will be able to lift the Shopee Cup™ come Wednesday in front of their supporters.
“Both sides played a great game. Công An were really strong in the first half but Buriram came back in the second,” Theerathon said.
“Of course, we will do our best and try to win the trophy in front of our home supporters,” he added.
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