VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's Thai Son Nam team shook things up at the Asian Football Confederation Futsal Clubs Championship yesterday (Aug 4) in Iran.

Favourites: Thai Son Nam's captain Nguyen Bao Quan of Viet Nam (centre) and his teammate seen during the quarter-final match against Al Rayyan SC of Qatar at the AFC Clubs Championship in Iran. — Photo the-afc.com

Thai Son Nam booked their place in today's semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Al Rayyan from Qatar at Nagshe Jahan Stadium in Isfahan City.

Al Rayyan were the match favourites since they have made it to semi-final round twice; it was Thai Son Nam's first quarter-final match.

It was the second time the two teams met, previously in a group round in 2012 in which they came to a 2-2 draw.

Thai Son Nam signaled their intent right from the start, with Phung Trong Luan hitting the post after just 20 seconds as the Vietnamese piled forward. Within the first minute, they had taken the lead when Saul Olmo Campana's shot from outside the area beat goalkeeper Sepehr Mohammadi to his right.

The Vietnamese side pushed forward and doubled their lead when Tran Long Vu scored on a rebound.

Thai Son Nam should have made it 3-0 when a one-two between Ngo Ngoc Son and Artur Yusunov set up Son for an easy finish into an empty net, but somehow he managed to send the ball high over the bar.

Al Rayyan finally gained a foothold in the 12th minute when goalkeeper Ngo Dinh Thuan bundled the ball over his own goal line as the Qataris put pressure on the Vietnamese defence. Thai Son Nam held out and clinched their place in the next round.

Thai Son Nam will face either MFC Emgek of Kyrygzstan or Qadsia SC from Kuwait, who both have never made it to the event's quarter-finals. The final will take place on Friday.

VNS