Hanoi T&T, Binh Duong stay on top in V-League

Hanoi T&T, Binh Duong stay on top in V-League

Hanoi ACB still on top; Dong Nai, HCMC Club still in relegation zone 

By Vu Duc - The Saigon Times Daily

Philani of Binh Duong (L) fights for the ball with Cong Manh of Song Lam Nghe An during their V-League football match at Go Dau Stadium in Binh Duong Province on Sunday - Photo: Ba Chau

The clash between leaders Hanoi T&T and Dong Thap and Binh Duong and Song Lam Nghe An were the most interesting matches of the round as Hanoi T&T needed a point to move closer to their silverware while Binh Duong had replaced their head coach just two days before the match against Song Lam.

Hanoi T&T beat arch rivals Dong Thap 1-0 at Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium to consolidate their position in the ranking table while Binh Duong beat Song Lam Nghe An 2-1 at Go Dau Stadium on Sunday.

Dong Thap were voted the most outstanding football team in June in the framework of this year’s national football championship. This was the second time the Mekong Delta-based team received this honor, beating arch rivals Hanoi T&T in a vote by sports reporters from across the country. 

The two sides began the game slowly. Both Hanoi T&T and Ninh Binh created some chances in the first half, but their strikers did not score and the half ended goalless. 

However, the second half was a different story. Coach Phan Thanh Hung’s players  controlled the game and Gonzalo scored the only goal for the home side in the 87th minute after receiving the ball form his teammate from the right wing.

With the victory, leaders Hanoi T&T have 37 points from 12 wins, three draws and three losses, two points ahead of second-place Binh Duong. 

Becamex Binh Duong had a good day even though they replaced head coach Dang Tran Chinh with Duong Ngoc Hung on Friday. Moreover, the home side started the game with Huynh Quang Thanh and Lee Nguyen from the beginning. 

Song Lam surprisingly took the lead when Vicdovic made no mistake in the penalty kick in the 17th minute. Binh Duong dominated ball possession in the second half while the visiting team relied on rare counter attacks.

Minh Chuyen leveled for Binh Duong in the 58th minute before Philani finalized the game at 2-1 in the 86th minute, helping their team secure the valuable win under the reign of Duong Ngoc Hung.

Binh Duong moved to second place with 35 points from 19 games, three points ahead of third-positioned Dong Thap while Song Lam Nghe An dropped to 11th with 23 points after the round.

Surprisingly, underdogs Navibank Saigon overpassed favorite SHB Danang 3-1 in the earlier on Wednesday, moving just one place to 13th. Navibank Saigon now have 14 points from three wins, five draws and 11 losses, two points ahead of bottom-place Nam Dinh, who lost 0-1 to Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the central coast city of Nha Trang.  

Other matches, the game between Lam Son Thanh Hoa and Dong Tam Long An Tiles ended goalless in the central city of Vinh, Haiphong drew 2-2 with Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the northern port city of Haiphong in the earlier game on Saturday and Ninh Binh tied 1-1 with Hoa Phat Hanoi in Ninh Binh Province.

* Hanoi ACB maintained the top spot of the First Division 2010 after wining 2-1 over Can Tho at Hang Day Stadium in the 19th round over the weekend while Dong Nai and HCMC Club remained in the relegation zone.

Pham Thanh Nguyen and Hoang Phuc Lam scored in the fifth and 85th minutes for Hanoi ACB,

Leaders Hanoi ACB now have 33 points after 17 games, just two points clear of second-place Quang Ninh Coal, who tied 3-3 with Tay Ninh in the southern province of Tay Ninh. Can Tho dropped to seventh place with 24 points from 18 games.

An Giang tied 2-2 with Dong Nai in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang while Quang Nam defeated Tien Giang 2-1 at Tien Giang Stadium.

With the victory, Quang Nam are in fifth place with 27 points from 17 games, three points behind third-place Binh Dinh, who didn’t play in the round, and An Giang climbed to fourth position with 29 points.

Meanwhile, Dong Nai and HCMC Club are still in the relegation zone despite bottom-positioned HCMC Club beat Huda Hue 2-0 at HCMC’s Thong Nhat Stadium in the earlier game on Tuesday, earning 16 points from four wins, four draws and ten losses, the same points as 12th-placed Dong Nai.   

In another match, Binh Duong TDC defeated Viettel 2-0 in the southern province of Binh Duong.