Vietnam’s Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC have made a strong start in their AFC Champions League Two campaign, securing a 2-0 victory over Hong Kong’s Lee Man in their opening match on Wednesday night.

Brazilians Rafaelson Fernandes and Lucas Silva netted both goals for the Vietnamese side at Mong Kok Stadium in Hong Kong.

Thep Xanh Nam Dinh’s head coach Vu Hong Viet fielded all seven foreign players, including Rafaelson, Hendrio Araújo da Silva, Lucas Alves, Walber Motta, Joseph Mpande, Caio Cesar, and Lucas Silva.

In the early minutes of play, the Vietnamese visitors managed to control.

Nguyen Van Toan, Rafaelson, and Lucas Silva all had threatening shots in the first several minutes.

However, it was not until the 27th minute that Lucas Silva fired a dangerous shot that was tipped by the Lee Man goalkeeper and subsequently finished off by Rafaelson.

The next 45 minutes of play saw Vietnam control the field.

In the 73rd minute, Rafaelson struck again with a challenging shot similar to his first goal. The Lee Man goalkeeper managed to block it, but the rebound was sent into the net by Lucas Silva, giving Nam Dinh a 2-0 lead.

The 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two is the 21st edition of Asia’s second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

In the Eastern region group stage, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC are placed in Group G alongside Bangkok United from Thailand, Lee Man, and Tampines Rovers from Singapore. 

According to the schedule, Nam Dinh will face their toughest opponents in the group, Bangkok United, at 7:00 pm on October 2.

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