HCM CITY (VNS)  — Becamex Binh Duong have all the advantages on their side to beat Dong Tam Long An in their 11th round encounter on Sunday at the Eximbank V-League 2014 and move closer to the top place of the V-League ranking table.

After making massive changes to both the dugout and the squad, the former two-time champions are a team capable of challenging for a third title, which has eluded them since 2009.

But after a terrible start to the season, the team had to appoint a new coach to replace veteran coach Le Thuy Hai, who returned to the club where he had won two titles to work as their technical director.

The changes have paid dividends as the club, consisting of qualified and experienced players, has won six games and drawn only one out of seven recent games, to move to second place with 17 points.

The strikers trio of Abass Dieng and Huynh Kesley Alves, Nguyen Anh Duc and industrious midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, all being in good form, have been instrumental in the club's recent success, scoring a combined 15 goals out of 22 goals in five recent wins.

And their impressive run will not end this Sunday when they host Long An, which has been struggling all the way from the kick-off day of the season, having not tasted any victory in the last nine matches. It would be the shock of the season if Binh Duong loses the match.

A win on Sunday would also help Binh Duong put pressure on Thanh Hoa, which are leading the table with 23 points, and Ha Noi T&T, which are ranked third with 15 points but still have three games in hand. The latter two teams do not play this weekend.

Than Quang Ninh, after a long run of success, suddenly lost its momentum with three successive defeats over the past three weekends. But they have a good chance to stop the unfortunate period and regain faith from their ardent fans.

The newly-promoted team's opponent will be Hung Vuong An Giang, who deserves to be named as a six-pointer given that the team have never won away and have secured only two draws at home in nine games played.

Hai Phong, which rested last week and is in ninth place with 12 points, will have to put its 3-1 defeat by Song Lam Nghe An a fortnight ago behind them to face Hoang Anh Gia Lai, which ranks just above Hai Phong by courtesy of a goal difference.

Dong Nai is likely to join the top three as the team are favoured to win over QNK Quang Nam today at home. —VNS