Match winner: Hoang Vu Samson (right) scored two goals in Ha Noi T&T's 2-0 win over Dong Nai in the V-League yesterday. — VNS Photo Tuan Tu

HA NOI (VNS)  — Hoang Vu Samson scored a double in the V-League's defending champions Ha Noi T&T 2–0 victory over Dong Nai yesterday at the Hang Day Stadium.

The hosts dominated in an early match of the 16th round without any resistance from the visiting team, whose best striker Nguyen Hai Anh had an unlucky day.

Anh created chances for himself and received support from teammates but failed to score a single goal.

Other players such as Dinh Trung Kien and Huu Phat also had on-target shoot, but they could not beat former national goalkeeper Duong Hong Son.

Meanwhile, T&T's newcomer Cyrus Daneil Nicholas showed an outstanding performance in his debut. The towering Nicholas well-controlled Dong Nai's playmaker Melquiades Gomez who started all of his team's attacks while being a bridge connecting all lines of T&T.

The hosts nearly opened the score at the middle of the first half as national midfielder Nguyen Van Quyet made a free kick that hit the left pole of keeper Danh Hoang Tuan.

Tuan who later twice saved his net in the next minutes however failed to stop the opening goal at the 41st minute.

Samson made a solo performance, passing almost all Dong Nai's players. He stopped only when Nguyen Rodgers faulted him in the box, causing a penalty for the hosts. And Samson made 1–0 easily with a straight shoot.

The naturalised player had the second goal at the 60th minute.

Quyet made a perfect pass from the corner and Samson who was at 5m from the goal line jumped high and shot with his head strongly. He continues as the leading scorer of the V-League with 15 goals.

The win helped T&T narrow the gap between the two leading teams, Becamex Binh Duong and Thanh Hoa. They have three spare matches in hand to make an overthrow.

Today, two other matches will be organised with two former champions Song Lam Nghe An playing SHB Da Nang and Dong Tam Long An playing Quang Ninh Coal.

The last two matches will be held tomorrow. Bottom-positioned Hung Vuong An Giang will face Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Hai Phong will face Quang Nam. — VNS