HCM CITY (VNS)— Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) will take over the top position in the V-League ranking table for the first time tomorrow if they defeat Sai Gon Xuan Thanh.

The match is the 11th round of Eximbank V-League's 2013 season, which has marked an amazing return to form for the two-time former champions.

HAGL entered the last-round game of the first half of the season on the back of a five-game winning streak, just one point behind leading team Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA).

South Koran coach Choi Kyum-yun and his players only need a draw at the Thong Nhat Stadium tomorrow to get ahead of SLNA, who have a very difficult away match on their hands against defending champions Da Nang on Monday.

In other V-League news, their 4-2 loss to fellow-strugglers Kien Giang has pushed Binh Duong to the bottom, a position they are quite familiar with. It is no exaggeration to say that the relegation battle is on now for veteran coach Le Thuy Hai and his players.

In early matches today, after the highly-praised 1-1 draw against leaders SLNA last weekend, Dong Nai will return home highly confident of victory when they take on Kienlongbank Kien Giang.

In seventh place with one game in hand is not a bad situation for a newcomer like Dong Nai, given that Kien Giang, who made their V-League debut just two years ago, have been fighting for survival every season since.

Meanwhile, Ninh Binh have had a disappointing season and their thirst for points is not likely to be sated today because they are up against Hai Phong, a very tough team to beat at the moment. — VNS