East Coast Heat of Australia made a lucky escape in their opening game of Group B of the AFF Futsal Club Invitational Championship when they edged debutant Vientiane Capital of Laos 4-3.
With all four teams in the group on par, the fight for the two places into the next round will be close indeed and where this morning, Vientiane Capital showed that they were no pushovers.
Despite playing in their first Futsal Club competition, Vientiane Capital played with a lot of commitment against the physically superior Australian side.
It did not take too long for East Coast to make the scoresheet through Jamie Dib in the third minute before Vientiane replied off captain Chanthaphone Waenvongsoth six minutes later.
The score at the half was 1-1.
Two quick goals from Anthony Haddad in the 27th and 29th minute put East Coast Heat in a comfortable position as they then opened up a three-goal advantage with the fourth goal of the game from Laureano Castro in the 30th minute.
But Vientiane were not giving up as they then chalked up two more goals through Soulichanh Phasawaeng in the 33rd minute and Alounyadeth Saysanavongsi (35th minute).
However, East Coast Heat maintained their composure to pick up the first three points in the group.
In the meantime, Melaka United of Malaysia battled Sanna Khanh Hoa to a 1-1 draw for both teams to share the spoils.
Mohd Khairul Eeffendy Bahrin’s scrappy goal puts Melaka in front after just three minutes as a defensive lapse in the closing stages of the first half allowed, Mai Thanh Dat to poke in the equaliser.
Both teams went into attack mode in the second half but it was to no avail as the score remained to the finish.
