U9 Hoang Anh Gia Lai ( U19 HAGL ) sealed their place in the final of the 2014 Thanh Nien Newspaper International U21 Football Tournament after conquering U21 Vietnam 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout in Can Tho city on October 25 .

With a familiar smooth and skillful playing style, U19 players outclassed their U21 elders in ball possession during the majority of the semifinal clash.

First scoring chances belonged to the U19 team with its captain striker Cong Phuong smashing two powerful shots that ended up going over the crossbar and off post.

Despite playing on the back foot in the first 45 minutes, U21 Vietnam produced a smart counterattack a few minutes before the break as Khac Ngoc drove a rocket from outside the 16m50 area, forcing goalkeeper Van Tien to make a brilliant block.

The first-half scenario continued in the second part with U19 HAGL playing offensively seeking to break the deadlock. Many opportunities were created for Cong Phuong and his U19 teammates, but none of them were successfully converted into goals.

The 0-0 draw remained unchanged till the end of the match, forcing it to be decided with a penalty shootout. Despite being considered more experienced, U21 players were unsuccessful in their penalty battle, scoring just three goals compared to four by their U19 juniors.

With their dramatic 4-3 win, U19 HAGL will play the October 28 final match against either U21 Thailand or U21 Malaysia , who will compete for the remaining final slot in the second semifinal later this afternoon.