Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Yangon: A wonder strike from Edison Fonseca saved Ayeyawady United a point as the Myanmar team drew 1-1 with Indonesia’s Persib Bandung at Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium in the AFC Cup Group H tie on Wednesday.
A 45th minute goal from Persib skipper Atep Rizal sent the visitors into the tunnel with a half-time lead but as the side tired in the second half Fonseca struck a magnificent curling goal from 25 yards out to secure United’s second draw in the competition.
The result gives Ayeyawady United their second draw of the tournament after they were also held by Lao FC last month in their AFC Cup opener. Persib, though, remain top of Group H, a point above New Radiant of the Maldives who beat Lao FC 2-1 in the group’s other game on Wednesday.
“I think our team could have come away with a victory but we failed to deal with Fonseca in the second half,” said Persib Bandung coach Emral Abus.
“In the first half my players were stronger, they had their fitness and we controlled the game, but as they tired in the second half it showed in our performance.”
“But when we arrived our target was one point, so we must be happy overall.”
The game provided chances in the first half; but before the last minute goal these were largely restricted to long range efforts, the majority sailing high over the crossbars at both ends. Only Persib’s Makan Konaté in the 10th minute and Ayeyawady left-back Chit San Maung in the 43th forced their opposition keepers into action.
Then as half-time approached, an Ayeyawady attacking move saw Naumov Riste dispossessed by Vladimir Vujovic on their edge of the Persib box. Vujovic ran at pace with the ball into the opposition half before spreading the ball wide to the right and attacking the box. A sequence of passes later saw Atep stood unmarked on the left-hand of the six yard area to poke the ball into the back of the net.
The second half started slow but as the game approached the hour mark Ayeyawady’s Edison Fonseca awoke and looked to wrestle back the match with a number of chances for the home team.
In the 58th minute his efforts paid off with an ambitious long range effort. Stood to the left of the goal he played the ball across the box, curling it away from the keeper at the last moment to find the top right hand corner of the goal and bring Ayeyawady back into the match.
And it was Ayeyawady’s Riste who came closest to finding a winner. In the 66th minute the tall Macedonian forward placed his head onto a Moe Win cross, and left the Persib keeper standing as his attempt rattled the woodwork.
“I was very happy with the way my players performed, especially in the tactical areas of the game,’ said Ayeyawady coach Marjan Sekulovski.
“When you concede in the 45th and comeback, as a coach it leaves you satisfied. We knew we had to stick to our game plan, if we tried to over attack, Persib would have killed us on the counter.”
Photo: WSG