Football
National striker Nguyễn Văn Toàn of Nam Định (centre) makes a tackles the match between Nam Định and Hà Nội on February 28. Photos of VPF
HÀ NỘI — Vũ Hồng Việt enjoyed his best night as a coach after Nam Định scored two very late goals to beat Hà Nội 3-2 on February 28 at home.
Nam Định went ahead in the 65th minute with a tap-in from close range by Nguyễn Văn Toàn.
Phạm Xuân Mạnh levelled for Hà Nội 12 minutes later after he won a ball in the crowded penalty area and slotted home.
Phạm Tuấn Hải's beautiful volley pushed the visitors in the lead in the third additional minute, all but securing a victory.
But the next four minutes saw Nam Định achieve the impossible.
Rafaelson left two Hà Nội defenders behind to equalise at 2-2 before Văn Vĩ found the back of the net at the 90+7 minute, sealing the most dramatic win of the season for Nam Định.
"I am still over the moon," Việt said at the post-match briefing.
"It is a great great match. My team play extremely well following my tactics. Hope that they will maintain their performance in the rest of the season."
Coach Daiki Iwamasa admitted it was a great game despite finishing on the losing side. He said his players did good job, playing better than before.
Although his strikers improved their scoring abilities, he said Hà Nội were in the progress of building a typical playing style so sometimes losses were inevitable.
He added that V.League 1 sides depended too much on foreign players. Hà Nội were trying to play in a way that relies less on foreigners. Losing to a title candidate didn't mean much, he thought, as Hà Nội would learn from defeat.
The win helped Nam Định strengthen their position at the top of the table while Hà Nội dropped to ninth.
Atshimene Charles of Becamex Bình Dương (in white) scored the only goal in Bình Dương's win over Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh.
In the other match, Becamex Bình Dương jumped to second after beating Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh 1-0.
The only goal was by Atshimene Charles in the 72nd minute, sending supporters at the Gò Đậu Stadium wild.
"I am happy with the win, an expected result," coach Lê Huỳnh Đức said. "We did not combine well in the early time of the first half but it was much better in the second.
"I am pleased with my foreign players in this match. They played well in the first game after signing contracts. Charles is here for a week while Onoja Joseph just several days.
"I hope (local striker) Tiến Linh and Charles can work well together and help our team better."
In the last match, HCM City ended their losing streak with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Bình Định at the Thống Nhất Stadium
New comer Patrik Lê Giang in goal was in the wrong position from a corner and Lê Ngọc Bảo headed home to open the scoring for Bình Định in the 52nd minute.
HCM City maintained their strong pressure and levelled 10 minutes later as defender Ngô Tùng Quốc volleyed home in the far corner. The hosts were awarded a penalty and Queiroz Dias Wander Luiz made no mistake to give HCM City a win. VNS
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