Terengganu FC, a club from Malaysia still finding its first victory in this tournament after tying with Dong A Thanh Hoa FC, a club from Vietnam scoring 2-2 in the Shopee Cup 2024/25 Group Stage, Group A at Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium, Gong Badak.
Coming off a disappointing loss to Cambodia’s PKR Svay Rieng FC in their first group-stage fixture, TFC started the match on a brighter note. The Turtles took the lead in the 20th minute through their dynamic winger, Akhyar Rashid.
Captain Safawi Rasid provided a pinpoint pass, and Akhyar unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty box, leaving goalkeeper Trinh Xuan Hoang with no chance.
The wet conditions at the stadium seemed to favor the home side, and TFC doubled their advantage in the 40th minute. Import player Manuel Ott found the back of the net with a clinical finish inside the penalty box after receiving an assist from right-back Muhammad Azam Azmi Murad.
However, Dong A Thanh Hoa clawed their way back into the match just before halftime. In injury time, Brazilian-born Luiz Soares scored from a free kick, which TFC goalkeeper Suhaimi Husin could not clear, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
The second half saw misfortune strike TFC when defender Muhammad Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili accidentally scored an own goal while attempting to clear the ball in the 52nd minute, leveling the score at 2-2.
Despite several efforts from both sides to secure a winning goal, the score remained unchanged, leaving Terengganu FC to rue another missed opportunity to collect three points. The result marked the second consecutive match where the Turtles were denied victory in the tournament, with the team still searching for their first full points.
Head coach Tomislav Steinbruckner will be eager for his side to bounce back as they look to secure a much-needed win in their upcoming group-stage matches.
Credit Photo : TFC
