VietNam Culture: Binh Duong

Showing posts with label Binh Duong. Show all posts

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Top players await Golden Ball result

Fan favourite: Former national team captain Nguyen Minh Phuong (right) plays in a friendly at Ha Noi's My Dinh National Stadium. — VNS Photo Quang Thang

HA NOI — More than 100 sports journalists, coaches and experts have cast their votes for their favourite men's and women's footballers in the prestigious Golden Ball contest. The outcome will be announced next week.

The vote, organised by Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, is to select the best from a list of 29 candidates who also include young and foreign footballers.

V-League two-time champions Becamex Binh Duong dominate the list with three candidates – Nguyen Anh Duc, Nguyen Vu Phong and Huynh Quang Thanh.

Dong Tam Long An follow with two key players Phan Van Tai Em and Nguyen Minh Phuong.

On the women's list, announced by the organising committee on Tuesday, six Ha Noi players who helped the national team win the Southeast Asian Games in Laos for the fourth time are included.

Ha Minh Tuan of Da Nang and Nguyen Van Quyet of Viettel are promising candidates for the best young players of the year.

Argentinean goal poacher Gaston Merlo, the best striker in the national football V-League championship twice in a row, will face stronger competition from Brazilian Leandro De Oliveira, who moved to Binh Duong after a three-year contract with Hai Phong, Antonio Carlos of Dong Tam Long An, South African Kubheka Philam from Binh Duong and Nigerian Samson Kayode from Dong Thap.

Merlo, who helped Da Nang win the V-League title in 2009, won Best Foreign Player in the vote last year.

Last year, young playmaker Pham Thanh Luong from Ha Noi ACB won the men's Golden Ball, while HCM City's Doan Thi Kim Chi clinched the women's title for the fourth time

Striker Le Cong Vinh from Ha Noi T&T and former national forward Le Huynh Duc, who now coaches Da Nang, both won the Golden Ball three times in a row.

The new winners will be announced at an award ceremony in HCM City on March 28. — VNS

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Finding the best footballers

HA NOI – More than 100 sports journalists, coaches, and experts have cast their votes for their favourite men's and women's footballers in the prestigious Golden Ball award. The outcome will be announced next week.

The vote, organised by Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, is to select the best from a list of 29 candidates who also include young and foreign footballers.

V-League two-time champions Becamex Binh Duong dominate the list with three players – Nguyen Anh Duc, midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong and left winger Huynh Quang Thanh.

Dong Tam Long An follow with two key players Phan Van Tai Em and Nguyen Minh Phuong.

On the women's list, announced by the organising committee on Tuesday, six Ha Noi players who helped the national team win the Southeast Asian Games in Laos for the fourth time, are included.

Ha Minh Tuan of Da Nang and Nguyen Van Quyet of Viettel are promising candidates for the best young players of the year.

Merlo, who helped Da Nang win the V-League title in 2009, won Best Foreign Player in the vote last year.

Last year, young playmaker Pham Thanh Luong from Ha Noi ACB, won the men's Golden Ball, while HCM City's Doan Thi Kim Chi clinched the women's title for the fourth time

Striker Le Cong Vinh from Ha Noi T&T and former national forward Le Huynh Duc, who now coaches Da Nang, both won the Golden Ball three times in a row.

The new winners will be announced at an award ceremony in HCM City on March 28. – VNS

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Song Lam beat Hoa Phat to secure top position

Saigon Xuan Thanh, Binh Dinh top First Division after three games

Navibank Saigon’s Almeida (L) celebrates his goal against Thanh Hoa with teammate Endene during their V-League match at Thong Nhat Stadium on Saturday - Photo Ba Chau

HCMC – Song Lam Nghe An secured the top spot in the third round of the V-League – Eximbank 2011 after beating Hoa Phat Hanoi 2-1 at Vinh Stadium on Saturday, while Hanoi ACB were still at the bottom of the table as they suffered a third consecutive loss.

Song Lam started without Hoang Helio and captain Nguyen Huy Hoang in their line-up while Hoa Phat Hanoi, with their strongest players, dominated the game from the beginning and Timothy Anjembe opened for the visitors in the 12th minute.

The visiting side continuously attacked their opponents in the first half, however, Timothy, Thanh Trung and Kisekka missed all scoring chances, leaving the first half ended 1-0.

Song Lam Nghe An put pressure on Hoa Phat’s defending line in the second half and Fagan Andre Diego helped the home side to level in 52nd minute.

The game went to controversy in the 58th minute as Nguyen Ngoc Anh was sent off after receiving the second yellow card while Hoa Phat Hanoi had to play with 9 men when Nguyen Ngoc Tu and Timothy Anjembe were also sent off by the red cards in the chaotic case.

Kavin Eltroy Bryan scored the goal in the 85th minute, sealing a 2-1 victory for Song Lam Nghe An.

However, the clash between SHB Danang and defending champions Hanoi T&T and Becamex Binh Duong and Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the round attracted much attention from the public as the four teams are strong favorites to win the league title.

The four teams wanted a victory to consolidate their position in the ranking table. Moreover, Binh Duong, SHB Danang, Hanoi T&T and Dong Tam Tiles also stand neck-and-neck in the ranking table.

The national football league resumed play on Friday after a three-week Tet holiday with a match between defending champions Hanoi T&T and SHB Danang in the capital city.

The defending champions dominated the game and created several chances to score, however, their players missed all chances. Danang missed the real chance to open the score when Hernandez’s powerful strike was saved by goalie Duong Hong Son in the first half.

After the break, Hanoi T&T continued to control the ball, but they missed several chances to score. Danang surprisingly took the lead in the 65th minute when Phan Thanh Hung scored the opener.

Vietnamese top striker Le Cong Vinh who suffered an injury for 10 months came off the bench in the 80th minute and the match became more exciting. However, Gaston Merlo scored the second goal in injury time, giving a 2-0 victory for Danang.

Meanwhile, Becamex Binh Duong suffered a 1-3 loss to Khatoco Khanh Hoa in their home town to drop to ninth position with four points from one win, one draw and one loss. Khatoco Khanh Hoa climbed to third position with six points.

With the victory, Song Lam Nghe An snatched the top of the V-League from Hanoi T&T with seven points from two wins and one draw while Hoa Phat Hanoi dropped to 10th with three points from three games.

SHB Danang, Khatoco Khanh Hoa and Hanoi T&T now have six points each but SHB Danang moved to the second thanks to goal difference

Saturday’s other games, XM The Vissai Ninh Binh lost 1-2 to Dong Tam Long An Tiles in the northern province of Ninh Binh, Navibank Saigon defeated Thanh Hoa 3-1 at Thong Nhat Stadium, Vicem Haiphong tied 1-1 with Dong Thap at Lach Tray Stadium in Haiphong.

Hanoi ACB suffered the third loss in the season when the promoted team lost 1-3 to Hoang Anh Gia Lai in their home ground at Hang Day Stadium. The bottom-placed Hanoi ACB have no point after three games.

* SQC Binh Dinh and Saigon Xuan Thanh still remained in the top place of Vietnam’s First Division 2011 after beating their opponents in the third round over the weekend, while the bottom-placed Hanoi had only one point after three games.

Saigon Xuan Thanh beat An Giang 2-0 at Thong Nhat Stadium in the late game on Sunday. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh and Oloya Moses scored for their team in the 23rd and 76th minutes.

Meanwhile, Binh Dinh beat Hanoi 1-1 in the central coast city of Qui Nhon on Friday.

Saigon Xuan Thanh and Binh Dinh secured nine points from three wins each, but the HCMC-based team took the lead thanks the goal difference, leaving them two points clear of rival Kienlongbank KG, who beat Quang Nam 2-0 in the central city of Tam Ky.

In other games on Friday, Can Tho tied goalless with Nam Dinh in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, Huda Hue crushed TDC Binh Duong 3-0 at Tu Do Stadium, Tay Ninh defeated Quang Ninh Coal 1-0 in the southern province of Tay Ninh and HCMC Club did the same with Dong Nai at Thong Nhat Stadium.

Round 3’s Results

V-League

Ninh Binh 1 Dong Tam Tiles 2

Navibank Saigon 3 Thanh Hoa 1

Binh Duong 1 Khanh Hoa 3

Hanoi ACB 1 Hoang Anh 3

Song Lam 2 Hoa Phat 1

Hanoi T&T 0 SHB Danang 2

The Cong 1 Nam Dinh 0

First Division

Saigon Xuan Thanh 2 An Giang 0

Can Tho 0 Nam Dinh 0

Huda Hue 3 TDC Binh Duong 0

Quang Nam 0 Kienlongbank KG 2

Binh Dinh 2 Hanoi 1

Tay Ninh 1 Quang Ninh 0

HCMC Club 1 Dong Nai 0

Monday, February 14, 2011

Navibank cash in on Cup win

Nerves of steel: Navibank Sai Gon players celebrate after their penalty shootout victory over Becamex Binh Duong. Navibank won 10-9 to book a semi-final berth in the National Cup which will be held on August 10. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — Navibank Sai Gon defeated Becamex Binh Duong 10-9 after a penalty shootout on Saturday to secure a berth in the National Cup semi-finals.

Coach Mai Duc Chung of Navibank Sai Gon had to play in defence for his team due to a number of injuries and suspensions.

The first half saw Binh Duong dominate on home turf with foreign trio Kubheka Philani, Leandro Da Luz and Joseph Obina all testing Navibank goalie Phan Van Santos. Philani opened the scoring in the 26th minute.

However, Navibank seemed to wake up in the second half and secured an equaliser in the 70th minute through Elokan Endene who stole past the Binh Duong defence to score.

Coach Nunes R. Manuel of Binh Duong made several substitutions to try and grab a late winner and ended the match playing four up front, but to no avail.

In the shootout, Navibank's players all converted there spot kicks successfully while Leandro, who signed for Binh Duong as part of a US$700,000 transfer, missed.

"I'm really satisfied with the result and the way my players did today. We were missing several key members of our team and Binh Duong are very strong. It is a big success which will encourage us for the rest of the season but we still need more time to grow, said Chung.

His team will meet Thanh Hoa in the semi-finals. Thanh Hoa also made it to the final four after beating Ninh Binh 3-1 in a penalty shootout. Their match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.

In other games, former V-League champions Song lam Nghe An trounced Sai Gon Xuan Thanh 4-2 and are to play Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the next round on August 10.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai earlier won 3-1 against Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the fourth quarter-final match in Nha Trang. — VNS

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Brazilian flair helps Alves to second Golden Boot

On target: Huynh Kesley Alves won the Golden Boot award after a successful season during which he scored 23 goals in all tournaments. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — Brazilian-born striker Huynh Kesley Alves formerly of V-League club Binh Duong won the nation's Golden Boot award for the highest Vietnamese goal scorer of the year, the prize organising committee told Viet Nam News yesterday.

Kesley, who now plays for First Division Xuan Thanh-Sai Gon, scored 23 total goals in the national football championship, V-League, the Asian Football Confederation Cup and the National Cup to rank first with 74 points. He won the award with 17 goals in 2009.

This year Kelsey beats off runner-up Nguyen Quang Hai of Khanh Hoa, who scored 14 goals with 41 points, while Binh Duong's Nguyen Anh Duc stands in third place.

"This is the second time we have organised a ceremony to honour the top scorer in the national championship. We will make it an annual event for footballers from now on," said Nguyen Minh Hung, vice chairman of the HCM City Journalists Association's Sport Reporters Club.

In 1997, former striker Le Huynh Duc, who now coaches Da Nang, was presented with a top scorer award, but the event was subsequently suspended for 13 years.

Alves, who was granted Vietnamese citizenship in 2008, scored 14 of Binh Duong's 48 goals in the national V-League premier football championship last season. He also netted the ball seven times in the Asian Football Confederation's Champions League and two more times in the National Cup.

Goals scored in the V-League, National Cup, Super Cup and First-Division are taken into account, as are goals scored at official matches organised by FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the ASEAN Football Federation, as well as during international friendly matches from January to December.

In 2005, the 31-year-old striker won top scorer and best foreign player in the V-League with 21 goals for Binh Duong. In 2009, he was the second Brazilian-born footballer called up by the national team to a training session for the Asian Cup qualifiers.

The organising committee for the Golden Boot award said an award ceremony will be held at HCM City's Palace Hotel. Aside from the trophy, Alves will walk away with a cash-prize of VND20 million (US$1,000). — VNS

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Kesley Alves wins Golden Boot award

HA NOI – Brazilian-born striker Huynh Kesley Alves formerly of V-League club Binh Duong won the nation's Golden Boot award for the highest Vietnamese goal scorer of the year, the prize organising committee told Viet Nam News yesterday.

This year Kelsey beat off runner-up Nguyen Quang Hai of Khanh Hoa, who scored 14 goals with 41 points, while Binh Duong's Nguyen Anh Duc stands in third place.

In 1997, former striker Le Huynh Duc, who now coaches Da Nang, was presented with a top scorer award, but the event was subsequently suspended for 13 years.

Kesley, who was granted Vietnamese citizenship in 2008, scored 14 of Binh Duong's 48 goals in the national V-League premier football championship last season. He also netted the ball seven times in the Asian Football Confederation's Champions League and two more times in the National Cup.

The organising committee for the Golden Boot award said an award ceremony will be held at HCM City's Palace Hotel. Aside from the trophy, Kelsey will walk away with a cash-prize of VND20 million (US$1,000). – VNS

Binh Duong set sights on V-League title

by Tien Thanh

Driven: Becamex Binh Duong's striker Philani (centre) vies for a ball during a V-League match. His team has promised to take back the V-League crown that has escaped them for years. — VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh

HCM CITY — Two-time V-League champions Becamex Binh Duong have made their title aspirations for this season clear, revamping the team with some good players and working hard on the training pitch.

The new signings include Brazilian playmaker Leandro de Oliveira from Hai Phong and Nigerian striker Joshep Nwafor. Nwafor will fill the gap left by Brazilian-Vietnamese striker Huynh Kesley Alves who has left for Sai Gon Xuan Thanh.

Binh Duong's Portuguese coach Ricardo Formosinho told Viet Nam News that Leandro and Nwafor would help his team become more balanced than last year.

"We work hard every, thinking about the season and follow the plan we drew up before in order to increase communication and understanding among players and play well in the V-League. Everyday we think of that," said Formosinho, who came to Binh Duong after just one season with Dong Tam Long An.

Asked about the team's 2011 title chances, the Portuguese tactician said: "We will take it game by game and I want our players to be happy day after day." His main job was to convert Binh Duong into a really professional team in Viet Nam, he added.

The advent of Leandro has aroused many people's curiosity about how Formosinho will combine the Brazilian with Vietnamese American Lee Nguyen The Anh. Both are attacking midfielders.

"We are happy we have two very good players, Leandro and Lee Nguyen. It is certain that both of them will play in the same team," he said.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Vu Phong is yet to recover from the injury suffered during the Southeast Asian football championship, but the midfielder said that he was confident he would play in Binh Duong's opening V-League match.

South African striker Philani, who is applying for Vietnamese nationality, believed Binh Duong had a good chance to win back the title this season because of the new players.

"We have many good players but winning back the title would depend on how well we play with each other," said the 32-year-old who has played football in Binh Duong for around five years. — VNS

Saturday, December 25, 2010

HCM City teams vow to stop the rot

Southern pride: Vo Phi Thuong of Navibank Sai Gon challenges for the ball with a member of Khatoco Khanh Hoa during a match at the HCM City's Football Federation tournament. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Nhut

HCM CITY — HCM City football has shown intentions of putting a stop to its shameful results over the last two years at local football competitions as HCM City and Navibank Sai Gon football clubs have revamped their teams for the new season.

During the last weekend of the 2009 V-League season, the city football witnessed the relegation of two clubs.

Sai Gon United was relegated to the Second Division despite a 2-0 win over Hoa Phat Ha Noi in the last match, and one day later, HCM City also suffered the same fate with a 3-2 defeat by Binh Duong.

There was no escaping the fact that city football had no representative in the 2010 V-League until Navibank Bank surprisingly bought the Military Zone 4 football club. They renamed it Navibank Sai Gon and chose Thong Nhat Stadium as its home ground.

However, Navibank Sai Gon was struggling at the bottom of the table throughout the season.

The club was relegated, but the fact that there were six fewer clubs in the First Division operating as a business handed Navibank a play-off with Quang Ninh. They escaped from relegation with a 2-0 win.

After being demoted to the First Division, HCM City continued its poor performance and had a disappointing season and only until the last round did the club escape from demotion.

Change for better

But the upcoming 2011 V-League season, the so-called professional football season, could be a different story as city-based clubs have made moves to build their teams that not only have survived the relegation but also have enough ability to move into the top half of the ranking.

Navibank splashed out a considerable amount of money on players, bringing in qualified strikers Nguyen Quang Hai from Khanh Hoa, Brazilian-Vietnamese striker Huynh Kesley Alves from Binh Duong and midfielder Luong Van Duoc Em from Dong Thap.

While Hai is the most prolific local striker last season with 13 goals, veteran Huynh Kesley has stamped his authority onto the V-League with his vast experience. Duoc Em was considered a promising young player last season.

"With new players joining the team and good preparation, we will try to finish the 2011 V-League at least in the middle of the table. We hope that the worries over the relegation will not be repeated," said Mai Duc Chung, head coach of Navibank Sai Gon.

By recruiting a foreign coach and bringing in some new faces, HCM City, the successor of the famous Sai Gon Port, has also made its intentions clear that they do not want to be a contender for the relegation in the next nine months.

The club recently signed a contract with Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic and hired Singaporean coach Robert Lim as a technical consultant. They have also recruited foreign players Lima and Cokolic from fellow club TDC Binh Duong.

Coach Simunic said that his team was ready for the new season. He believes the club will not have to face a battle to avoid relegation, as they did last season. — VNS

Friday, December 24, 2010

City football aims to stop relegation woes

HCM CITY – HCM City football has shown intentions of putting a stop to its shameful results over the last two years at local football competitions as HCM City and Navibank Sai Gon football clubs have revamped their teams for the new season.

During the last weekend of the 2009 V-League season, the city football witnessed the relegation of two clubs.

Sai Gon United was relegated to the Second Division despite a 2-0 win over Hoa Phat Ha Noi in the last match, and one day later, HCM City also suffered the same fate with a 3-2 defeat by Binh Duong.

However, Navibank Sai Gon was struggling at the bottom of the table throughout the season.

After being demoted to the First Division, HCM City continued its poor performance and had a disappointing season and only until the last round did the club escape from demotion.

Change for better

Coach Simunic said that his team was ready for the new season. He believes the club will not have to face a battle to avoid relegation, as they did last season. VNS

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

AFF Cup flop needs sober reflection

by Tien Thanh

HCM CITY — Viet Nam's elimination from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 capped a significantly unsuccessful year for national football in the regional arena.

After scaling euphoric heights by winning the AFF Cup in 2008, Vietnamese football has come down to earth, firmly.

After co-hosting the Asian Cup 2007, Vietnamese football experienced considerable progress, culminating in victory at the AFF Cup two years ago.

The next year was also a positive one as the nation's top-tier V-League saw the emergence of former football star, Le Huynh Duc, as a prospective young coach. Duc led Da Nang to a comprehensive win at the nation's top championship.

Meanwhile, Binh Duong made history by becoming the first Vietnamese football club to reach the semi-finals at a continental level competition, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.

And then the national Olympic team (Under 23) put in an impressive performance on their way to the finals of the 25th SEA Games in Laos.

However, the momentum of the previous three years was not carried successfully into 2010.

In the last 12 months, there has been no promising result in competitions both at the club and national team level at regional competitions.

False dawn

After beating Thailand to take the AFF Cup 2008, many fans, experts and even the players themselves seemed to take it for granted that Vietnamese football level has surpassed other countries, especially Malaysia, as local clubs hammered Malaysian counterparts at the AFC Cup.

Star striker Le Cong Vinh, who scored the decisive goal in the final two years ago to help the country win the first AFF Cup, and missed out this year because of injury, had predicted that Viet Nam would reach the final before the semi-final matches.

An Olympic defender had also said that Viet Nam would beat Malaysia while an official of the Ha Noi Football Federation, said that Viet Nam had reached a certain (higher) class as a result of a highly-competitive football championship, V-League and exposure to international competitions.

These people, however, did not take into consideration the role foreign and naturalised players play in the V-League. The success of V-League as well as clubs like Da Nang and Binh Duong at AFC Cup can be significantly attributed to players like Argentina's Gaston Merlo, South African Philani or Brazilian-born Huynh Kesley.

After a wonderful start with a 7-1 demolition of Myanmar, the team seemed to adopt the pride of defending champions, choosing to go on the offensive against all teams.

This strategy failed both times, against the Philippines and Malaysia.

For football fans, the losses were salt rubbed into the wound of the SEA Games defeat against Malaysia in Laos last year.

The defeats have re-ignited the debate about using naturalised players, but if we take the long-term view for the benefit of the national team, it is better to focus on building a really professional football environment and creating more opportunities for talented young local players to improve their skills. — VNS

Saturday, November 13, 2010

City federation launches tennis monthly magazine

The HCM City Tennis Federation (HTF) officially launched the Tennis World Magazine at a press briefing yesterday.

HTF President Nguyen Minh Tam said that the monthly magazine, the first to focus exclusively on tennis in Viet Nam, would also be an official information channel for the federation.

Nguyen Van Ngoan, general editor of the magazine, said that it would provide a variety of tennis-related information including local and international tennis news, technical aspects of the game and health and injury problems.

The magazine, which is only for Vietnamese readers, will hit the stands on the 15th day of each month at a cost of VND24,000 ($1.26) per issue. It will have an initial circulation of 10,000.

French team to debut in Binh Duong Television tournament

Etoile will become the first French team to compete in the Binh Duong Television international football competition for the Number One Cup that kicks off on November 19.

Etoile, entirely made up of players of French origin, are also the first European team to ply their trade in Singapore's professional league. They have just won the S-League title.

Matsubara of Brazil, Chonburi of Thailand and Express of Uganda will be the other foreign teams to play at the Binh Duong Stadium until November 28.

For Matsubara, it will be the fourth appearance in a tournament they won in 2007. Chonburi too played that year.

Express, also first-timers, and Etoile promise to be surprises for local teams.

The teams will be joined by four local clubs – Khatoco Khanh Hoa, Vicem Hai Phong, Dong Tam Long An and host Becamex Binh Duong.

Khanh Hoa have replaced SHB Da Nang, who pulled out because of some reasons.

The annual tournament began in 2000 and comes at a time in the season when local clubs can fine-tune their preparations for the new V-League season as well as poach good players from the visiting teams. — VNS

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Thien cruises to junior tennis quarterfinal

Teenager Nguyen Hoang Thien cruised to the quarters-finals of the Viet Nam International Junior Championship after beating Denmark's Mikael Torpegaard 6-4, 6-2 in southern Binh Duong Province yesterday.

Thien, the top seed, beat South Korea's Lee Sung-hui 6-0, 6-1 in the boys' singles first round on Monday.

The 15-year-old will meet Sweden's Solberg Christoffer, who beat Vietnamese Ho Huynh Dan Mach 6-2, 6-4, in the quarters at Binh Duong's Becamex Sports Centre today.

On Saturday, Thien won the men's singles title at the International Junior Championships in the southern province of Bac Lieu.

Two years ago, Thien took the singles title in Binh Duong Province, but only managed third place last year.

Born in 1995, Thien first stepped onto a tennis court at the age of eight.

His target is to break into the top 200 in the world by the time he's 18.

He currently ranks 431st in the International Tennis Federation's junior rankings.

Santos says no plans for Binh Duong move

Goalkeeper Phan Van Santos says he has not signed a contract with the Becamex Binh Duong football club for the next V-League season.

"It is not true that I have signed a three-year contract with Binh Duong and I am currently under contract with Navibank Sai Gon," the former national goalkeeper told Viet Nam News, rejecting local reports about his move.

The naturalised Brazilian Vietnamese, known for scoring goals from free kicks, is on a four-day business trip to Singapore.

Santos, 33, who was granted Vietnamese citizenship in 2008, has played football in Viet Nam for nine years and is one of the most successful goalkeepers in the V-League.

In eight years with Dong Tam Long An, he won two V-League titles before moving to Navibank Sai Gon in the second half of last season. — VNS

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Olyroos to take part in charity activity

The Australian men's U-23 football team, the Olyroos, will take part in a charity activity with kids from the SOS Village at the Australia Embassy in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

The 20-member squad will play the Viet Nam national team in the Millennium Football Thang Long-Ha Noi Cup on Wednesday, two days after competing against North Korea on Monday.

The Olyroos, coached by former Australian captain Aurelio Vidmar, will play U-23 Kuwait on September 24.

Students to debut at first Toyota Cup

The first-ever Toyota National Student Volleyball tournament will kick off at Ha Noi's Technology University Gymnasium on Monday.

The event has drawn 66 men's and women's teams nationwide competing in qualifying rounds in Ha Noi, HCM City from Monday to October 15.

Sixteen men's and women's teams will qualify for the final round, which is slated in Ha Noi from November 11 to December 15.

The Japanese car maker also signed a three-year sponsorship deal for the annual tournament, which is expected to be included in the annual roster of the Volleyball Federation of Viet Nam.

Ricardo takes charge of Binh Duong

Portuguese coach Ricardo Formosisho has agreed to coach V-League team Binh Duong following a one-year contract, the team managing board said on Thursday.

The 54-year-old, who helped Dong Tam Long An finish fourth in the national premier league last year, will take the driving seat for the new football season that kicks off in January.

A source from the team said Luis Morgado Rodrigues will be a coach assistant next year.

Binh Duong, who won the championship twice in 2007-08, sacked four coaches in 2010.

Last week, the southern team signed a three-year contract with Brazilian Leandro De Oliveira. — VNS

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sponsors named for national squad

The Viet Nam Football Federation, VFF, has officially announced Yamaha Motor Viet Nam as the sponsor of the national men's and Olympic football teams in Ha Noi yesterday.

The two-year sponsorship will help foster Vietnamese players in the ASEAN Football Championship, or AFF-Suzuki Cup, from December 1-29.

Viet Nam will host the tournament for the third time and the draw for the championship will be telecast live throughout ASEAN's ten member countries from Ha Noi's Sheraton hotel today.

The VFF signed a five-year US$5 million contract with global sports accessory manufacturer Nike in 2008.

Brazilian signs on with Binh Duong

Brazilian Leandro De Oliveira agreed to a contract worth US$600,000 over three years with V-League team Binh Duong, a source from the team said.

Following the agreement, Leandro will receive a monthly salary of US$17,000, excluding bonuses, from the two-time champions.

Binh Duong, who won the championship in 2007-08, had a poor season this year when they finished eighth in the 14 team premier league.

The Brazilian maestro, who played for Hai Phong Cement for three years, is regarded as one of the best foreign playmakers in Viet Nam.

Quyen to miss Millennium Cup

Striker Pham Van Quyen has been withdrawn from the official national team squad for the Millennium Thang Long-Ha Noi Football Cup next week.

Quyen, 26, suffered an ankle injury in training last Thursday. He will also miss the ASEAN Football Championship this December if he does not recover in time.

The Nghe An-born player was unfortunate, as he had been called up to the national squad for the first time following a five-year ban for match fixing.

Karate team leaves for Indonesia Open

A 15-member karate team will leave for the Indonesia Karate Open next Thursday.

The team includes top martial artists Vu Thi Nguyet Anh, Le Bich Phuong and Bui Thi Trieu.

Anh, who competes in the women's 48kg kumite (combat), will defend her champion at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China on November 11-27.

Four years ago, the 26-year-old martial artist won a gold medal in the Qatar Asian Games. — VNS

Friday, September 10, 2010

Ceramic pieces set nine national records

The Vietnamese Record Book has acknowledged nine national records set by ceramic objects and related events.

Certificates of recognition for the records were awarded at the first
Vietnam Ceramic Festival that concluded in Binh Duong province Sept. 8.

The "Essence of Vietnamese Ceramics" exhibition was itself named the biggest collection of ancient ceramics in the country.

The six-day event featured 720 items made during different eras, from
pre-historic times till today, going through successive feudal dynasties
in between.

The Golden Lotus, which is 88cm tall and 63cm
across at the mouth and weighing 45kg, was declared the biggest
one-piece ceramic trophy.

The Vietnamese Soul, which is 99cm tall, was acknowledged as the tallest one-piece ceramic trophy.

The gold-plated Van Lang, measuring 75cm across, 80cm high and weighing 45kg was named the largest one-piece ceramic bowl.

An unnamed lamp made at a workshop in Bac Ninh province became the tallest ceramic lamp at a height of 3.9m.

Called ‘Heaven and Earth,' the largest ceramic jar weighs 200kg and has a mouth with a diameter of 3.5m.

Another jar, ‘Globe,' was the tallest handmade one-piece jar at 1.86m. It weighed 165kg.

The ‘Thang Long Vase', shaped like a bronze drum with a height of 73cm
and a weight of almost 30kg, set the record for the biggest bronze
drum-shaped vase.

An arrangement of 3,099 ceramic
items covering 4,000sq.m that was displayed on the opening day of the
festival under the theme ‘Vietnamese Ceramic – Identity and
Development,' was called the biggest exhibition of installation art.

The ceramic festival, which was held for the first time in Binh Duong
province, cradle of the craft in the south, aimed to revitalise the
craft that many experts have said is on the decline./.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Round 3’s Results

V-League

Ninh Binh 1 Dong Tam Tiles 2

Navibank Saigon 3 Thanh Hoa 1

Binh Duong 1 Khanh Hoa 3

Hanoi ACB 1 Hoang Anh 3

Song Lam 2 Hoa Phat 1

Hanoi T&T 0 SHB Danang 2

The Cong 1 Nam Dinh 0

First Division

Saigon Xuan Thanh 2 An Giang 0

Can Tho 0 Nam Dinh 0

Huda Hue 3 TDC Binh Duong 0

Quang Nam 0 Kienlongbank KG 2

Binh Dinh 2 Hanoi 1

Tay Ninh 1 Quang Ninh 0

HCMC Club 1 Dong Nai 0

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Monday, February 14, 2011

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

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Saturday, December 25, 2010

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Friday, December 24, 2010

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

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Saturday, November 13, 2010

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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

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Sunday, September 19, 2010

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

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Friday, September 10, 2010

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