24/04/2008 10:36 AM
Binh Duong's disappointing AFC Champions League campaign has gone from bad to worse with the Vietnamese side now in danger of finishing the event without a win.
After a defensive first half, where neither side scored, Binh Duong was thrashed 4-1 by a surging Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday.
The team has now conceded 12 goals in its four losses.
Securing even a single point in its remaining games won't be easy because Changchun Yatai needs a big victory to stay in touch with Adelaide at the top of Group E while the Pohang Steelers will be playing for pride.
Binh Duong lost the game against Adelaide United when it conceded three goals in six minutes of the second half.
But before that scoring spree the visitors were in the contest. They struggled for possession in the first half but the brilliance of import Philani provided some anxious moments for Adelaide's defenders.
They also received the first corner of the second half and at the 47th minute the team's captain almost put them in front.
Tran beat United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic with a beautiful ball from 20 metres out but watched with frustration as it cannoned into the left hand goal post.
Minh Duc Pham's goal at the 65th minute was also a highlight but the damage had already been done.
Binh Duong coach Thuy Hai Le said the team had come to Adelaide with a 'serious' attitude and was frustrated by the result. He said a number of factors had worked against them.
"We lose because Vietnam to here (Adelaide) is a very long flight and we are disappointed about the referee," he said.
Thuy Hai Le also said the team were disadvantaged by a lack of personnel.
"We already know that Adelaide is the best of the group OK and we hope they get through. But with my team we only brought 14 players here today," he said.
Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar said the pressure was on his side to perform against the bottom placed Binh Duong.
"I prefer to play the Steelers and I prefer to play Changchun Yatai because these games are a bit of danger game," he said.
"I don't like coming into games like that and that was always the danger for us but we controlled the game from the start to finish."
"You look at Binh Duong tonight, they came here with nothing to play for but they don't make it easy for you and we wouldn't expect anything less from Pohang."