HA NOI — Top-placed Ha Noi T&T suffered a humiliating loss of 2-6 yesterday to the defending champions Song Lam Nghe An on their home turf at Hang Day Stadium in the capital city.

Nghe An, despite being the visiting team, had an early chance to open the score when Nguyen Hong Viet's straight shot headed for the net, but goalie Duong Hong Son denied him at the third minute.

The first goal came shortly after that when the host defenders faulted Dieng Cheikh Abass in the box and a penalty was awarded to Nghe An. Captain Nguyen Trong Hoang easily converted the opportunity into a goal.

The surprise continued just five minutes later when keeper Son missed a ball, which came instead to Abass, and the Senegalese player doubled the result for the visitors.

T&T narrowed the score at the 18th minute. Gonzalo Marronkle received a ball in the box and knocked out Nghe An keeper Nguyen Viet Nam.

Samson Kayode Olaleye made it 2-2 for the host after earning a perfect pass from national team member Nguyen Van Quyet and leaving behind a Nghe An defender before taking an accurate shot.

The nightmare for the former champions continued just four minutes after the break.

Viet's close-range kick went straight to the empty net.

T&T met with more difficulty when Cao Sy Cuong received a red card at the 68th minute. The hole he left could not be filled and the team immediately suffered their fifth loss.

Nghe An opened a counter-attack, started by Dickson Nwakaeme whose long pass found Abass in the front line, and he scored for the second time of the match.

Many Nghe An fans travelled more than 300km to Ha Noi to encourage their club and were rewarded for their effort.

Their fifth opportunity to cheer came at the 73rd minute. Captain Hoang scored his own goal from a free kick that soared past keeper Son.

Near the end of the match, Son again failed to stop Nwakaeme's strong header, which touched the ground before running to the net.

The loss did not affect T&T's leading position but their lead ahead of runner-up SHB Da Nang and Sai Gon FC was narrowed.

In the other match yesterday Ninh Binh lost 1-2 to Navibank Sai Gon.

In the next round of the V-League this weekend T&T play Navibank; Nghe An meet Sai Gon FC and Ninh Binh face Ha Noi FC. — VNS