Viet Nam News
Football
HA NOI — Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) defeated Can Tho 3-0 in the fifth round of V.League 1 at Pleiku Stadium in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai yesterday.
Midfielder Vu Van Thanh opened the scoring for HAGL in the 57thminute, while striker Nguyen Cong Phuong scored two more goals for the hosts in the 67th and 77th minute.
“I, and the entire team, are very glad when we have three points on our home turf. We tried our best to earn this win. We are very young, but we played very decisively and we were united,” said Phuong.
“I found the confidence in my way of playing. This win will be a spiritual driving force for me and my teammates to play in the next rounds,” Phuong added.
In other matches yesterday, Quang Nam crushed Song Lam Nghe An 3-0, and Quang Ninh bested Khanh Hoa 3-0.
Also, FLC Thanh Hoa beat HCM City FC 1-0 on Saturday.
HCM City’s way of playing attack-defence made Thanh Hoa meet many difficulties in scoring in the official 90 minutes.
In the first minute of extra time, in a confused situation before HCM City’s goal, midfielder Hoang Van Binh scored a goal for Thanh Hoa.
With three points, Thanh Hoa continue leading the rankings with 13 points.
“My team’s win is not by luck. We not only have foreign players scoring goals, but domestic footballers also do well,” said Thanh Hoa’s coach, Ljubomir Petrovic.
Petrovic said if his team took full advantage of all opportunities, they would score more goals.
Meanwhile, the acting chairman of HCM City Le Cong Vinh admitted that his club played successfully, in terms of tactics, however, they were not lucky in scoring.
In other news, defending champions Ha Noi T&T tied with SHB Da Nang 1-1 at Hang Day Stadium.
Nguyen Quang Hai opened the score for hosts Ha Noi in the first half, while Vu Phong levelled the score for the visiting Da Nang in the second half.
This was the fourth goal for Hai after five matches in this year’s tournament. The 19-year-old midfielder is the best second scorer in the league.
The capital team Ha Noi T&T lacked two key players, Gonzalo Damian Marronkle and Hoang Vu Samson, because of an injury and a suspension in this match, so they also did not have many opportunities and played to a draw.
“Ha Noi dominated the match and created many chances to score goals, but we missed. Marronkle had an ankle injury, so I couldn’t use him. How unfortunate!” said coach Chu Dinh Nghiem.
However, Nghiem also praised Hai’s performance.
“I am very satisfied with Hai’s performance. If he is strong, he will be my No 1 choice in every game,” said Nghiem.
Elsewhere, Dong Tam Long An lost to Hai Phong 1-2 and Sai Gon FC drew even with Binh Duong 1-1. — VNS