VietNam Culture: Nguyen

Showing posts with label Nguyen. 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

Monday, February 14, 2011

National Cup semifinalists through

HCMC –Saturday’s victors, Thanh Hoa, Song Lam Nghe An, Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Navibank Saigon reached the semifinals of Vietnam’s 2011 National Football Cup.

Top Vietnamese League team, Song Lam Nghe An, beat first division team, Saigon Xuan Thanh, 4-2 in the central city of Vinh. Saigon Xuan Thanh started the game with Huynh Kesley, Lucas, Nguyen Dinh Luat and Nguyen Thanh Trung in their line-up.

The HCMC-based team put pressure on Song Lam’s defensive line from the beginning resulting in a Huynh Kesley goal in the 10th minute with a penalty kick. Ngoc Anh leveled the score for Song Lam just two minutes later.

Striker Nguyen Duy Quang scored for the visitors in the 19th minute before Thierry leveled for the home side in the 62nd minute. Nguyen Quang Tinh and Kavin made sure Song Lam Nghe An advanced to the semifinals with two goals in the 67th and 68th minutes.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai gained another ticket on the day after beating Khatoco Khanh Hoa 3-1 in the central coast city of Nha Trang. Nguyen Tang Tuan netted two goals for the visitors in the second and 30th minutes and Le Van Truong scored one goal in the 19th minute while Nguyen Manh Tu scored the only goal for the home side in the 43rd minute.

On the same day, Thanh Hoa secured the third ticket to the semifinals after eliminating XM The Vissai Ninh Binh 3-1 in a penalty shootout. The game was locked 1-1 at the end of official time. Dinh Hoang Max had opened for The Vissai Ninh Binh in the 50th minute and Trinh Quang Vinh then leveled for Thanh Hoa just seven minutes later.

Navibank Saigon secured the last semifinal ticket as they beat Becamex Binh Duong 10-9 in a penalty shootout to decide the 1-1 draw. Hoang Anh Gia Lai will play Song Lam Nghe An on August 10 in Pleiku City, and Thanh Hoa will meet Navibank Saigon on the same day in HCMC.

The final will be held in the northern province of Ninh Binh on August 27.

Vietnam’s National Football Cup 2011 drew 27 teams from the country’s V-League and First Division, competing in a knock-out format.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Vietnam’s Hung wins HD Bank chess trophy

Vietnam's Nguyen Mai Hung claimed the top spot at the International
Chess Tournament – HD Bank Cup which ended in HCM City on Jan. 9.

The 17-year-old grandmaster grabbed 4.5 points over
the nine rounds. By doing so, she equalled the scores of three other
rivals but ended up taking the title because of her better sub-index.

Hung, from Bac Giang province, had previously won a
gold medal at the National Sports Games which helped her to become
Vietnam 's No 1 master.

She needs just one standard
to become Vietnam's fifth – and youngest ever– International Female
Grandmaster and is expected to earn this at a training course in
Hungary this summer.

It was a great tournament for
Vietnam's women with Hung's teammates Pham Le Thao Nguyen and
Nguyen Thanh An coming second and third at the HD Bank Cup.

On the men's side, the No 1 seed Le Quang Liem of Vietnam had a
disappointing event, earning fourth place overall with 6.5 points, half a
point less than event champion Yu Yangyi of China .

Chinese Wen Yang and Filipino Gomez John Paul were the two runners-up
on the men's side of the draw. Liem said he wasn't too worried about his
performance here.

"In general, I had a fairly good
tourney although I wasted several chances to improve my position. But
this is normal in chess. I do not have to worry about my performance
here because results at this tournament don't influence my Elo rating,"
said Liem who ranks 79th in the world.

"In 2011 my
target is to reach the rating of 2,700, which is the level for a super
International Grandmaster (IGM)," added Liem whose present Elo rating is
2,664.

Other male Vietnamese players failed to make
top three. IGM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, the former world U10 champion
was at fifth. While Nguyen Anh Dung and Dao Thien Hai suffered losses in
early round./.

Hung wins HD Bank chess trophy

HA NOI — Viet Nam's Nguyen Mai Hung claimed the top spot at the International Chess Tournament – HD Bank Cup which ended in HCM City on Sunday.

The 17-year-old grandmaster grabbed 4.5 points over the nine rounds. By doing so, she equalled the scores of three other rivals but ended up taking the title because of her better sub-index.

Hung, from Bac Giang Province, had previously won a gold medal at the National Sports Games which helped her to become Viet Nam's No 1 master.

She needs just one standard to become Viet Nam's fifth – and youngest ever– International Female Grandmaster and is expected to earn this at a training course in Hungary this summer.

It was a great tournament for Viet Nam's women with Hung's teammates Pham Le Thao Nguyen and Nguyen Thanh An coming second and third at the HD Bank Cup.

On the men's side, the No 1 seed Le Quang Liem of Viet Nam had a disappointing event, earning fourth place overall with 6.5 points, half a point less than event champion Yu Yangyi of China.

Chinese Wen Yang and Filipino Gomez John Paul were the two runners-up on the men's side of the draw. Liem said he wasn't too worried about his performance here.

"In general, I had a fairly good tourney although I wasted several chances to improve my position. But this is normal in chess. I do not have to worry about my performance here because results at this tournament don't influence my Elo rating," said Liem who ranks 79th in the world.

"In 2011 my target is to reach the rating of 2,700, which is the level for a super International Grandmaster (IGM)," added Liem whose present Elo rating is 2,664.

Other male Vietnamese players failed to make top three. IGM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, the former world U10 champion was at fifth. While Nguyen Anh Dung and Dao Thien Hai suffered losses in early round. — VNS

Monday, January 10, 2011

Architectural heritage crumbles

Historic buildings in two
localities that functioned as commercial port towns during the Nguyen
dynasty are in a severely dilapidated condition.

The Bao Vinh town, which hosted a busy port in 18th century, had 39 old buildings standing at the end of the American War.

Meanwhile, Gia Hoi, a bustling port town in early 19th century, had 140
old buildings featuring traditional Vietnamese, Chinese as well as
French colonial architecture.

These buildings have been so
badly damaged by the rampant urbanisation of last two decades, that
only 15 of them still stand in Bao Vinh, while Gia Hoi has 55.

Residents complain that they are caught in a bind. On the one hand,
they cannot repair their houses to make them safe or expand it to meet
their needs because authorities have banned such actions. On the other
hand, the authorities themselves have taken no action to preserve the
old buildings.

"Many old houses in Bao Vinh are in ruin
and vulnerable to floods and hard weather," said Nguyen Van Bon,
chairman of Huong Vinh commune.

A conservation project to
protect the two towns was set up by Thua Thien Hue province in 2003, but
only three houses were repaired with funds from the French Parliament.
In Gia Hoi, one pagoda had its gate and entrance restored.

Experts have called on authorities to act before it is too late.

"Architecture reflects history, so there is a need to protect Bao Vinh
and Gia Hoi. Authorities should promptly come up with ways to deal with
the conflict between conservation and locals' benefits," said Nguyen
Viet Tien, chairman of the province's Planning Association.

Nguyen Xuan Hoa, former director of the province's Culture Department,
said it was not possible to restore Bao Vinh as an old town because not
many old house remained in it.

"But Gia Hoi has unique
architectural values with a national-heritage pagoda, a Hindu temple,
the house of a Japanese karate master, overseas Chinese club house,
French colonial buildings and palaces of royal family members. It would
be interesting to restore the old town," he said./.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Sibling walkers set Sports Games records

Simply the best: The opening ceremony of the National Sports Games in Da Nang. — VNA/VNS Photos Ngoc Truong

Walk on by : Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc finishes first in the 20km walk

HA NOI — Walker Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc from Da Nang finished first in the women's 20km walk at the sixth National Sport Games, which kicked off in Da Nang city on Saturday.

She clocked a one hour 40 minute finish to win a gold medal and a new national record, beating Phan Thi Bich Ha from Vinh Phuc, who came in second, and Lai Thi Hoa of Thai Binh, who finished third.

Her younger brother Nguyen Thanh Ngung then added another gold and set up a new record of 1:31.32 in the men's division.

Marathoner Nguyen Dang Duc Bao of Khanh Hoa finished first in the men's marathon with time in 2:31.32, while Pham Thi Hien from Thai Binh came first in the women's event at 2:53.02.

With 29 sports already finished in 20 localities nationwide, Ha Noi continued to dominate the medal tally in the ongoing National Sports Games by claiming top position with 153 golds, 112 silvers and 113 bronzes.

HCM City trailed with 102 golds, 88 silvers and 114 bronzes, while the Military team ranked third with 56 gold, 71 silver and 64 bronze medals.

The Sports Games, which are organised every four years, will close on Friday. — VNS

Friday, December 24, 2010

Games draw nation's elite

Pot luck: Nguyen Hoai Nam of Ha Noi takes a shot in the men's singles at the National Sports Games' billiards and snooker event at Da Nang's Nguyen Tri Phuong Gymnasium. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Son

HA NOI — The sixth National Sport Games will officially kick off tomorrow in the central city of Da Nang with a record 3,300 participants.

The festival, which is organised every four years, will see athletes competing in 11 sports.

Among the sports, tracks and field events have attracted the highest number of entries, featuring 452 contestants from 54 delegations. The chess events will feature 200 contestants from 40 teams.

The Games, which are the most important domestic sporting event of the year, will feature the cream of Vietnamese athletic talent, with a host of Asian and Southeast Asian champions and record holders. Top athletes include Truong Thanh Hang, Vu Thi Huong, Vu Van Huyen in track and field; Nguyen Tien Minh in badminton; and Le Quang Liem and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son in chess.

Ha Noi currently lead the medal tally with 147 golds, 103 silvers and 105 bronzes. HCM City and the Military team stand second and third, respectively. Sixty four of the 66 delegations taking part have taken medals.

The opening ceremony will be held at the city's Chi Lang Stadium with the participation of four foreign visitors from China, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The closing ceremony will be on December 31. — VNS

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Vietnam confident ahead of showdown with Malaysia

HCMC – The Vietnamese national football team is confident ahead of the first leg semifinals game against Malaysia in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia on Wednesday though many key team members won’t be playing.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he was pleased with his players for securing the semifinals berth and believed they would beat Malaysia.

Calisto told the media that injuries had forced his team to make many important changes with Nguyen Huy Hoang, Nguyen Minh Chau and Tran Dinh Dong making their debut in the game.

Veteran player, Hoang will replace halfback Huynh Quang Thanh, who suffered an ankle injury in the match against Singapore, while Tran Dinh Dong will replace Doan Viet Cuong and Nguyen Minh Chau will replace Phan Van Tai Em.

Defender Doan Viet Cuong and midfielder Phan Van Tai Em remained doubtful for the game in Malaysia as neither player could train on Sunday. Viet Cuong, who showed a good performance against Singapore despite being injured, has still to fully recover while his teammate Tai Em is also suffering from a knee injury.

Vietnam also lost midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, who played well in the qualifying round in Vietnam. Hoang has been suspended after being given a red card in the game against Singapore last Wednesday.

However, striker Nguyen Viet Thang, who has recovered from an injury, may be returning to join strikers Nguyen Anh Duc and Le Sy Manh. Thang, a first-choice striker of head coach Calisto, was not on the list made at the beginning of the tournament.

The Portuguese coach remains optimistic about the fitness of goal keeper Bui Tan Truong, midfielders Nguyen Vu Phong and Pham Thanh Luong, captain Nguyen Minh Phuong who all played well in the qualifying round.

The Vietnamese side reached the semifinals as they finished as Group B leaders with six points ahead of runners-up Philippines, who collected five points. Vietnam crushed Myanmar 7-1 in the opener, and then lost 0-2 to Philippines and had a 1-0 win over archrivals Singapore in their final group stage game.

Meanwhile, hosts Indonesia came through the group stage unbeaten to top Group A while Malaysia were the runners-up in the group. Malaysia earned four points after losing 1-5 to Indonesia, drawing 0-0 with Thailand and earning 5-1 win over Laos in their group stage.

The 2010 ASEAN Football Federation Cup, also called AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, is co-hosted by Vietnam and Indonesia and attended by eight countries in the region - Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos.

The semifinals are set for December 15, 16, 28 and 19 on a home and away basis. The two legs for the finals will be on December 26 and 29 also on a home and away basis.

The other semi-final between host Indonesia and the Philippines will be played on Thursday and Sunday at the Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Friday, December 10, 2010

New biopic on President Ho makes premiere

A film about President Ho’s revolutionary activities in China – “Vuot
qua ben Thuong Hai” (Across Shanghai) made by the Vietnam Writers’
Association Film Studio (VIVAFILM), premiered in Hanoi on Dec. 12.

VIVAFILM Director Nguyen Xuan Hung said the biopic can be seen as the
second part of “Nguyen Ai Quoc o Hong Kong (Nguyen Ai Quoc in Hong
Kong).

The film will be officially on screens in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as from Dec. 17.

Based
on the script by Vietnamese writers Ha Pham Phu and Le Ngoc Minh and
Chinese author Jia Fei, the film, directed by Trieu Tuan of Vietnam and
Fan Dong Yu of China, portrays the life of Nguyen Ai Quoc in 1934 when
he came from Hong Kong to Shanghai to try to make contact with
international revolutionary movement.

The film spotlights the
innate traits of a leader of Nguyen Ai Quoc and praises the
contributions to the Vietnamese revolutionary cause by Vietnamese
patriots in China and the assistance that several historic figures gave
to Nguyen in Shanghai.

The film was mainly shot in Hengdian Film
Studio in Shanghai, and Nghe An, Quang Binh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam
provinces of Vietnam. The role of Nguyen Ai Quoc is played by actor Minh
Hai.

The State provided 70 percent of the film’s cost, about 11 billion VND, and the remaining 30 percent was mobilised by VIVAFILM.

After
the film, VIVAFILM has begun shooting two other films also of
revolutionary topics to celebrate the 11th National Party Congress in
2011./.

Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals

Referee Chaiya Alee Mahapab of Thailand (3rd L) stops the game as Vietnam's Nguyen Minh Chau (L), Phan Van Tai Em (2nd L), Le Phuoc Tu (3rd R), Nguyen Vu Phong (2nd R) celebrate their victory near Singapore's Agu Casmir (C) and Mohamad Shahril Bin Ishak (R) after their qualifying round match at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Defending champions Vietnam reached the semifinals at the ASEAN Football Federation Cup/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, after defeating their archrivals Singapore 1-0 in their final game of the group stage at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on Wednesday while the Philippines qualified for the semifinals for the first time after drawing goalless with Myanmar at Thien Truong Stadium.

With only one goal from midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong in the 31st minute, Vietnam sent the three-time champions packing right in the group stage of the Southeast Asian championship.

Prior to the game, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss while Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses. But Vietnam now win the top place of the group.

The Vietnamese side needed a win to ensure their progress to the next round of the tournament while the Lions just needed a draw to keep their hope of reaching the next round alive.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he believed Vietnam would beat Singapore in the make-or-break game. The Portuguese man said he was pleased with his players from their performance in the regional tournament even though local spectators had raised doubts about the team’s strength.

Part of Calisto’s confidence stems from the fact that Vietnam had held the three-time champions to a 1-1 draw in the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup at the My Dinh Stadium earlier last month.

At the pre-match press conference, Singapore national coach Radojko Avramovic also expressed his strong winning determination on the threshold of the crucial clash between the two sides.

Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto made some changes in their lineup with goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong coming in from the beginning. Meanwhile, midfielder Le Tan Tai did not even make the list due to an injury.

Backed by the enthusiastic support from about 40,000 spectators, Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search for a goal and coach Calisto’s players dominated the ball possession in the first half while Singapore relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side missed a series of chances, the best in the first minutes when Nguyen Trong Hoang’s kick was saved by Singaporean goalkeeper Hassan Bin Abd Sunny from close range in minute five, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong’s kick over the goalpost in minute 13.

The Lions also created some scoring chances in the half but their players also lost all the chances.

The football-crazy local fans waited for 31 minutes into the game to celebrate the hosts’ scoring when Nguyen Vu Phong opened the score with superb kick after receiving the ball from midfielder Nguyen Thanh Luong in the penalty box.

After the break, the Lions increased their pressure in search for an equalizer. Singaporean forwards always troubled goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong and Vietnamese defenders.

Vietnamese players took on the defensive tactic and relied on counter attacks with an aim to protect the score. However, the Vietnamese forwarders also created some scoring chances and their defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

But difficulties came in the 63rd minute when midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang was sent off with a second yellow card. Ever since, many scoring chances came for the visitors but the Singaporean players failed to convert any opportunities in the remaining time.

In the day’s other match, the Philippines and Myanmar shared the point after a goalless draw. The Philippines also qualified for the semi-finals as a Group B’s runners-up with five points.

Vietnam will meet Group A runners-up Malaysia in the semifinal first leg next Wednesday in Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium and second leg next Saturday in Malaysia.

Group A leaders Indonesia will play Group B runners-up Philippines in the semifinal first leg next Thursday and second leg next Sunday on a home and away basis.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals