Vietnam clinches two more silvers at Guangzhou ASIAD

Vietnam’s U-23 football team eliminated;  women’s team suffer second loss

International grand master Le Quang Liem shows his silver medal at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China on Tuesday - Photo: TTXVN

HCMC – Vietnamese athletes took home two more silvers and four bronzes at the 16th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Guangzhou, China on Tuesday. With four silvers and seven bronzes on the fourth day of competition, Vietnam climbed to the 13th place on the ranking table. 

Vietnamese wushu team continuously showed good performance when Nguyen Thanh Tung grasped the silver in the men’s taijiquan - taijijian all-round event.

Tung earned 8.67 points in the taijijian category on Tuesday morning and 9.65 points in the taijiquan category in the afternoon. The gold medal went to Wu Yanan of China, who secured 9.9 points each in the taijiquan and taijijian categories.

Nguyen Minh Thong brought home the bronze after losing 0-2 to Kim Tun Yul from South Korea in the semifinals of the men’s sanshou 60kg category and Vuong Dinh Khanh was defeated 1-2 by Cai Liangchan from Macao, China in the semifinals of the men’s sanshou 70kg category, gaining the bronze medal. 

Wushu team now leads the Vietnamese delegation in medal tally, taking two silver and four bronze medals.

International grand master Le Quang Liem failed to grasp the gold medal in the men’s individual of the chess event though he had two final victories over Sasikiran Krishnan from India and Megaranto Susanto from Indonesia in rounds 8 and 9 on Tuesday.

Kasimdzhanov Rustam from Uzbekistan and Liem secured 7.5 points each but the Uzbekistan player gained the gold thanks to his win over the Vietnamese player in round 7 on Monday.

Vietnamese billiards players suffered unlucky when they lost to their opponents in the semifinals of the billiards event later Tuesday, clinching the bronze medals. Ly The Vinh just gained the bronze after losing 36-40 Suzuki Tsuyoshi from Japan in the men’s carom 3 cushion singles event.

Duong Anh Vu was defeated 29-40 by Kai Joji from Japan in the same category, taking the bronze while Luong Chi Dung also lost 4-9 to Dang Jinhu from China in the qualifying round of the men’s 9-ball pool singles. 

Vietnamese women’s sepaktakaw team beat Japan 3-0 in the qualifying round on Tuesday while Vietnam lost 20-25, 16-25, 23-25 to India in the men’s volleyball event.

* Vietnam’s U-23 football team were ended their remarkable performance at the Asian Games after losing 0-2 to North Korea in the knock-out round on Tuesday. The loss means Vietnam surpassed its target set before ASIAD of reaching the last 16 round.

The North Korean players tested the Vietnamese defenders from the beginning but it wasn’t until the 34th minute that Choe Kum Chol opened for his team with a header.

Vietnam faced more difficulties in the 45th minute when midfielder Chu Ngoc Anh was sent off with a red card, however, the Vietnamese side suffered disadvantage again when Nguyen Van Hieu also received the second yellow card in the first minutes of the second half.

North Korea dominated possession in the second half and Choe Myong Ho finalized the game at 2-0 in the 90th minute with a penalty kick. 

In the women’s football event, Vietnam were also eliminated from competition after suffering a 0-1 loss to powerhouse China in their second game on Tuesday.

Although the Chinese players had the most possession over the game and managed to create dozens of chances, the Vietnamese side defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

China took an advance in a controversial goal when the referee gave China a free kick in the penalty box in the last minutes. Qu Suansan made no mistake in her free kick, giving her team the second win in the group of the competition.

Earlier, Vietnam lost 1-6 to South Korea in the opener. Vietnam are now still at third place with no point in hand. Vietnam will face Jordan on Thursday in the final game in the group stage while South Korea and China, who reached the quarterfinals, will meet each together for the top position of the group.

Medals Standings (at 10:00 p.m. Vietnamese time)

Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	77	28	28	133
2 South Korea	22	17	27	66
3 Japan	15	34	29	78
4 North Korea	3	6	9	18
5 Chinese Taipei	3	5	13	21
6 Hong Kong	3	5	3	11
7 Kazakhstan	2	5	9	16
8 Uzbekistan	2	5	6	13
9 India	1	4	7	12
10 Malaysia	1	1	3	5
13 Vietnam	0	4	7	11

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North Korea beat Vietnam 2-0, taking Sonha Cup

HCMC – North Korea won the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup after beating hosts Vietnam 2-0 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday.

Singapore secured second place defeating South Korea’s U23 2-0 in an earlier game on the same day in the round robin tournament.

Vietnam wanted to keep cup at home, needing to win by an almost impossible three goals in the game. The hosts, with only one point from the two opening games, needed that decisive win, but North Korea that had four points from their previous win and draw only needed to stay within two points of the hosts for victory.

The home side had suffered a 0-2 loss to South Korea U23 in the opener and tied 1-1 with Singapore in the second game, while North Korea earned a 2-1 win over Singapore in the first game and tied 1-1 with South Korea U23 in the second game.

The North Korean team participated in the friendly tournament with their strongest squad. North Korea were considered hot favourites with six of their best players, who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June, in their lineup.

Though Vietnam started the game without striker Nguyen Viet Thang, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong and midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, the Vietnamese side were confident as they had the home ground advantage.

Starting quickly, Vietnam began the first half with more attacks and stronger pressure but their forwards missed the net.

The visitors started the game slowly managing a few chances but the first half ended goalless.

The Vietnamese players dominated the ball possession in the first minutes of the second half but North Korea surprised in the 55th when Myong Cha Hyon netted for his team with a header after receiving the ball from Ri Pyong Chol in the left wing.

Their joy was doubled just 10 minutes later when Rin Jin Hyok beat the Vietnamese keeper Duong Hong Son with an unstoppable kick after a great cross from teammate Kang Kuk Chol, who beat the defenders’ offside trap.

Despite strong attacks in the last minutes, the Vietnamese were left frustrated by the defense without a point.

North Korea finished the four-day, four-team round-robin tournament in top spot with seven points. Singapore and South Korea U23 both ended on four points with Singaporean securing second spot on goal difference. The host team came fourth.

The North Koreans won a cash prize of US$20,000 ,while Singapore and South Korea U23collected US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively.

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North Korea beat Vietnam 2-0, taking Sonha Cup

HCMC – North Korea won the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup after beating hosts Vietnam 2-0 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday.

Singapore secured second place defeating South Korea’s U23 2-0 in an earlier game on the same day in the round robin tournament.

Vietnam wanted to keep cup at home, needing to win by an almost impossible three goals in the game. The hosts, with only one point from the two opening games, needed that decisive win, but North Korea that had four points from their previous win and draw only needed to stay within two points of the hosts for victory.

The home side had suffered a 0-2 loss to South Korea U23 in the opener and tied 1-1 with Singapore in the second game, while North Korea earned a 2-1 win over Singapore in the first game and tied 1-1 with South Korea U23 in the second game.

The North Korean team participated in the friendly tournament with their strongest squad. North Korea were considered hot favourites with six of their best players, who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June, in their lineup.

Though Vietnam started the game without striker Nguyen Viet Thang, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong and midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, the Vietnamese side were confident as they had the home ground advantage.

Starting quickly, Vietnam began the first half with more attacks and stronger pressure but their forwards missed the net.

The visitors started the game slowly managing a few chances but the first half ended goalless.

The Vietnamese players dominated the ball possession in the first minutes of the second half but North Korea surprised in the 55th when Myong Cha Hyon netted for his team with a header after receiving the ball from Ri Pyong Chol in the left wing.

Their joy was doubled just 10 minutes later when Rin Jin Hyok beat the Vietnamese keeper Duong Hong Son with an unstoppable kick after a great cross from teammate Kang Kuk Chol, who beat the defenders’ offside trap.

Despite strong attacks in the last minutes, the Vietnamese were left frustrated by the defense without a point.

North Korea finished the four-day, four-team round-robin tournament in top spot with seven points. Singapore and South Korea U23 both ended on four points with Singaporean securing second spot on goal difference. The host team came fourth.

The North Koreans won a cash prize of US$20,000 ,while Singapore and South Korea U23collected US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively.

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North Korea beat Vietnam 2-0, taking Sonha Cup

HCMC – North Korea won the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup after beating hosts Vietnam 2-0 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday.

Singapore secured second place defeating South Korea’s U23 2-0 in an earlier game on the same day in the round robin tournament.

Vietnam wanted to keep cup at home, needing to win by an almost impossible three goals in the game. The hosts, with only one point from the two opening games, needed that decisive win, but North Korea that had four points from their previous win and draw only needed to stay within two points of the hosts for victory.

The home side had suffered a 0-2 loss to South Korea U23 in the opener and tied 1-1 with Singapore in the second game, while North Korea earned a 2-1 win over Singapore in the first game and tied 1-1 with South Korea U23 in the second game.

The North Korean team participated in the friendly tournament with their strongest squad. North Korea were considered hot favourites with six of their best players, who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June, in their lineup.

Though Vietnam started the game without striker Nguyen Viet Thang, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong and midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, the Vietnamese side were confident as they had the home ground advantage.

Starting quickly, Vietnam began the first half with more attacks and stronger pressure but their forwards missed the net.

The visitors started the game slowly managing a few chances but the first half ended goalless.

The Vietnamese players dominated the ball possession in the first minutes of the second half but North Korea surprised in the 55th when Myong Cha Hyon netted for his team with a header after receiving the ball from Ri Pyong Chol in the left wing.

Their joy was doubled just 10 minutes later when Rin Jin Hyok beat the Vietnamese keeper Duong Hong Son with an unstoppable kick after a great cross from teammate Kang Kuk Chol, who beat the defenders’ offside trap.

Despite strong attacks in the last minutes, the Vietnamese were left frustrated by the defense without a point.

North Korea finished the four-day, four-team round-robin tournament in top spot with seven points. Singapore and South Korea U23 both ended on four points with Singaporean securing second spot on goal difference. The host team came fourth.

The North Koreans won a cash prize of US$20,000 ,while Singapore and South Korea U23collected US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively.

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Vietnam hold 1-1 draw with Singapore at Sonha Cup

HCMC – The Vietnamese national squad tied 1-1 with Singapore in the second game of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup on Thursday at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi while South Korea U23 also did the same with North Korea, securing the top spot in the four-team tournament in the earlier game.

The Vietnamese side began the game with a changed lineup after a 0-2 loss to South Korea U23 in their opener. Midfielder Phan Van Tai Em and defender Huynh Quang Thanh made his debut at the tournament, replacing midfielder Le Tan Tai defender Dang Van Phong from the beginning. Defender Le Phuoc Tu and midfielder Pham Thanh Luong  also played in the first minutes.

Though the game was only a friendly, the competition between hosts Vietnam and archrivals Singapore is always fiercely competitive, moreover, the tournament is considered the final test for both Vietnam and Singapore before the Southeast Asian championship/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, which will be held in Vietnam and Indonesia from December 1 to 29.

The chief coach of the national football team Coach Henrique Calisto and his squad made their final preparations to defend the AFF-Suzuki Cup where Vietnam have been drawn in Group B with Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Under heavy pressure from local fans, hosts Vietnam put their rivals under a lot of pressure, while the Singaporean squad, with height advantage, looked composed and confident throughout and caused the home team problems with their rare counter attacks.

Although the Vietnamese players had the most possession over the first minutes and managed to create dozens of chances, the Singaporean side defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

Singapore surprisingly took an advance in a rare attack when Shi Jiayi scored for his team in the 25th minute after receiving the ball from Duric in the penalty box.

In the second half, coach Henrique Calisto made some key changes when Nguyen Huy Hoang and Le Sy Manh made their debut, replacing  Le Tan Tai and Nguyen Minh Phuong in the first minutes of the second half. Nguyen Trong Hoang replaced Pham Thanh Luong in the 58th minute.

Although the Vietnamese players had the most possession over the second half and managed to create dozens of chances, however, the spectators waiting for 30 minutes into the second half to celebrate the hosts’ leveling when Phan Van Tai Em netted for his team with a comfortable kick after receiving the ball from midfielder Le Sy Manh in the penalty box.

In the earlier game on Thursday, North Korea tied 1-1 with South Korea U23. Ri Myong Jun scored for the North Korean side just three minutes into the game while  Jung Woo Young equalized for South Korea in the 37th minute with a penalty kick.

With the draw, North Korea and South Korea U23 earned four points each but the South Korean side secured the top spot thanks to the goal difference. Both Vietnam and the Singapore’s hopes of winning  the cup were faded when they secured just one each from two games.

The champions will be decided on Saturday when South Korea U23 will play Singapore at 5:00 p.m. and Vietnam take on North Korea at 7:00 p.m. in the final games.

The national football teams from Singapore, North Korea and hosts Vietnam together with the U23 team of South Korea are competing in the annual tournament. The four teams are playing in a round-robin tournament with the team that gets the most points being declared the championship. The tournament is taking place from Tuesday to Saturday in Hanoi.

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VN face tough task after drawing with Singapore

HA NOI — Viet Nam and Singapore earned their first points at the Viet Nam Football Federation's SONHA Cup yesterday after the two teams drew 1-1 at My Dinh Stadium in Ha Noi.

The host team followed a new game plan that differed significantly to their strategy against South Korea two days ago, when Viet Nam suffered a 2-0 defeat.

This time, the host team set the pace and control the ball most of the time, despite only being able to score once from a corner kick in the second half of the match.

Singapore were on the defensive but managed to score first, at the 26th minute.

The goal was thanks to a combination play between two imported players. Aleksandar Duric, a former Bosnia and Herzegovina citizen, took the ball to the box before passing it to Chinese-born Shi Jiayi, who shot the ball straight into the net.

Vietnamese goalkeeper Duong Hong Son got his fingers to the ball, but was unable to stop the powerful shot from close range.

The goal did not rally the Vietnamese players to immediately lift their game, with several good opportunities to equalise carelessly missed.

The situation for the host team seemed to get worse when the side lost striker Nguyen Viet Thang at the 31st minute due to an injury.

The second saw Viet Nam continue its attack, threatening Singapore's goal but unable to score.

Captain Phan Van Tai Em, replaced striker Sy Manh and halfback Nguyen Vu Phong helped rally the team intensify their assaults.

Tai Em could level the score for Viet Nam at the 76th minute after a corner kick. Tai Em took the ball after it bounced out of a chaotic penalty area, converting with a quick strike into the net.

For his efforts, Tai Em won the US$1,000 bonus from the tournament's sponsors for the first Vietnamese player to score.

Viet Nam and Singapore will face each other again at the coming Southeast Asian Football Federation Cup in December.

Earlier in the SONHA Cup, a clash between North Korea and South Korea also resulted in a 1-1 draw.

After two matches, South Korea rank on the top of the table with four points, North Korea follow with four points as well, losing out to South Korea on goal difference. Singapore and Viet Nam are third and fourth, respectively.

Viet Nam still have a chance to win the cup but only if they can score plenty of goals against North Korea who are considered the strongest defensive team of the tournament while South Korea lose to Singapore in the other game. — VNS

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Son Ha Cup starts next week

HCMC – The national football teams from Singapore, North Korea and hosts Vietnam together with the U23 team of South Korea will compete in the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Son Ha Cup early next month.

The four teams will compete in the round-robin tournament from November 2-6 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese team will be fielding their strongest squad in hopes of keeping the cup in Vietnam.

The tournament is considered the final test for both Vietnam and Singapore before the Southeast Asian championship/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, which will be held in Vietnam and Indonesia from December 1 to 29.

The chief coach of the national football team Coach Henrique Calisto and his squad will be making their final preparations to defend the AFF-Suzuki Cup where Vietnam have been drawn in Group B with Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Henrique Calisto announced his squad of 24 players for Son Ha Cup two weeks ago. However, star striker Le Cong Vinh, who has returned from Portugal from a ligament operation, has lost his chance with the national squad because of injury.

According to the organizers, the two Korean teams are sending their strongest players. The South Korean team are the hot favourites though they are sending a 23-member squad.  

The North Korean team are also said to be strong with six of their best players coming who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June.

The North Korean team will feature six key players including goalkeepers Ri Myong-guk and Ri Kang; defender Ji Jun Nam; midfielders Pak Chol-jin, Mun In Guk and Kim Kyong Il.

Vietnam’s national team will clash with South Korea’s U-23s in the opening game of the tournament on November 2 while Singapore will meet North Korea in their opener on the same day.

The VFF Cup, which used to be known as the Agribank Cup, has been held annually since 2004. Vietnam won the title in 2005 and 2009 and were runners-up in 2004, 2006 and 2008.

The Vietnam Football Federation also signed a three-year sponsorship contract with Son Ha Group. The winners of the Son Ha Cup will receive a trophy and US$20,000. The runner-up will be awarded US$10,000, while the third-place team will receive US$5,000. The sponsor will also award US$1,000 to the first scorer.

Tickets for the international football tournament will go on sale at outlets in Hanoi on Saturday, the organizing committee has announced. The tickets, priced between VND80,000-150,000 (US$4-US$7.5), will also be available at www.eleale.com.

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North Korea draws with Vietnam to win Millennium Football Cup

HCMC – North Korea won the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Football Cup 2010 after a goalless draw with hosts Vietnam during the tournament’s final match at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Friday, picking up US$20,000 in cash and a trophy.

A draw was enough for North Korea to win the round-robin tournament. Kuwait’s U23s had also tied goalless with Australia in an earlier game the same day.

To win the cup, Vietnam had to beat North Korea who had six points from the two opening games, while the hosts only had three points from one win and one loss.

The home side had beaten Kuwait U23 3-0 in the opener but lost 0-2 to Australia in the second game, while North Korea beat Australia 1-0 in the first game and did the same with Kuwait in the second game.

Vietnam, who began with a changed lineup after their loss to Australia, showed great determination to win the game.

Defender Nguyen Huy Hoang made his debut at the game, replacing defender Le Phuoc Tu from the beginning, midfielders Nguyen Minh Chau and Nguyen Vu Phong also played in the first minutes. Nguyen Trong Hoang came in for Nguyen Quang Hai in the middle.

Vietnam laid on the pressure in the opening minutes and dominated possession in the first half but were up against the strong defensive line that North Korea set up and some good saves by the North Korean goalie.

The visitors, who had six players that had attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June, mounted pressure on the Vietnamese defenders in the last minutes of the first half and continuously dominated the attack in the second.

The Vietnamese players rallied to create some chances in the game’s closing minutes but the Korean side’s defense resiliently held out to keep a clean score sheet. 

Korea won with seven points. Vietnam finished second with US$10,000 with four points from one win, one draw and one loss. The Australian side came third with three points and pocketed US$5,000 while the bottom-placed Kuwait got only one point.

The tournament was a test for Vietnam before the Southeast Asian championship - AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, co-hosted by Indonesia and Vietnam from December 1 to 29.

In related news, the Vietnamese Olympic football squad together with the Olympic teams from Iran, Malaysia and Singapore will complete at the International Football Tournament/ Eximbank 2010 Cup in HCMC this week.

The round-robin tournament will be held at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCMC from September 28 to October 2. It also celebrates the 1,000 anniversary of the capital city.

The Vietnamese Olympic football squad secured two wins over Cambodia in the friendly matches before taking part in the friendly tournament. The Vietnamese side beat Cambodian national squad 2-0 on September 18 and they also defeated the Cambodian squad 3-0 in three days later.

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N Korea confident of winning Hanoi football cup

North Korean fans cheer their team during a Thang Long-Hanoi Cup match at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi September 22

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Favorites North Korea are hopeful of lifting the Thang Long-Hanoi Cup when they take on hosts Vietnam in the final match of the four-team event Friday.

In the tournament being played in Hanoi to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the city, the Koreans have won both their matches, scoring identical 1-0 victories over Australia and Kuwait.

They need just one point against Vietnam to assure themselves of the title.

Kim Jong Su, chief of the North Korean football delegation, said fans can guess what will happen in the North Korea – Vietnam game from the fact that Australia defeated the hosts 2-0.

The Korean side have been cheered on by some 20 young women working at the embassy and Pyongyang restaurant in Hanoi dressed in the traditional Hanbok.

North Korea have six points while Vietnam and Australia with three points each.

The Vietnamese team saw the video tapes of Korea’s two matches yesterday.

Except Phuoc Tu who is out with two yellow cards, the rest of team is fit and available for selection.

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N.Korea go top, hosts Vietnam suffer loss at Millennium Football Cup

HCMC – The Vietnamese national squad lost 0-2 to the U23 Australian squad in the second game of the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Football Cup 2010 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday while North Korea defeated Kuwait U23 1-0, securing the top spot in the four-team tournament in the earlier game.

The Vietnamese side began the game with a changed lineup after a 3-0 win over Kuwait U23 in their opener. Nguyen Dinh Luat made his debut at the tournament, replacing defender Doan Viet Cuong from the beginning.

The Australian, with height-advantage, put more attacks from the start of the game in search of a goal and their players dominated the ball possession in the first half.

The visitors also created some good chances in the first minutes while the Vietnamese defenders made many mistakes. The Australian players exploited the mistakes from defenders Vu Nhu Thanh and Nguyen Phuoc Tu as Michael Hoffman opened the score for his team in the 19th minute.

Australia U23 continuously dominated the game after the goal and James Rodney broke the offside trap before beating goalie Duong Hong Son at the near post in the 36th minute.

In the second half, coach Henrique Calisto made some key changes when Xuan Thanh made his debut, replacing  Nguyen Quang Hai in the first minutes of the second half. Nguyen Trong Hoang, who scored the goal for the Vietnamese side in the opener, replaced Nguyen Viet Thang in the 69th minute.

Although the Vietnamese players had the most possession over the second half and managed to create dozens of chances, the Australian side defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet. Despite good ball possession, the Vietnamese forwards failed to score.

In the earlier game on Wednesday, North Korea secured the second victory after beating Kuwait U23 1-0. An Chol Hyok scored only goal for his team in the 71st minute.

With the victory, North Korea secured the top spot with six points as they earned two wins in the round-robin tournament. The eastern Asian side beat Australia U23 1-0 in the opener.

Both Vietnam and the Australian squad have three points from one win and one loss but the host team rank second thanks the goal difference. Bottom-placed Kuwait have no point from two losses.

The champions will be decided on Friday when Kuwait U23 will play their Australian counterparts at 5:00 p.m. and Vietnam take on North Korea at 7:00 p.m. in the final games. The North Korean side need a draw to bring home the cup.

Australia U23, Kuwait U23 and the North Korean national squad together with the Vietnamese national squad are competing at the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Football Cup.  The four teams are playing in a round-robin tournament with the team that gets the most points being declared the championship. The tournament is taking place from Monday to Friday in Hanoi.

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Hosts Vietnam humiliated at Hanoi football cup

Hosts Vietnam were beaten 2-0 by Australia on Wednesday, the second match-day of the Thang Long-Hanoi Football Cup.

The Socceroos sank the Henrique Calisto-coached side with two goals in the first half after displaying dominance in both physical fitness, speed and ball possession.

In the 19th minute, the player wearing number 11 jersey of the Socceroos, Jason Hoffman, separated two rival central defenders Nhu Thanh and Phuoc Tu and invaded the box to score his opening goal.

Seventeen minutes later, Tahj Rodney Minniecon escaped the offside trap of the defensive wall of Vietnam to double the scores.

Vietnam, who romped past Kuwait 3-0 on Monday, could almost set up no clear chances to threat the Australian goalkeeper Andrew James Redmayne after the visiting team performed close fighting for the ball to take advantage of their height and fitness.

It leaves no space for Vietnamese players to manage.

The hosts strived to launch more attacking efforts in the second half of the match but failed to convert any goal.

In the other game of the match-day two, North Korea, who won Australia 1-0 in the opening round, found their second straight victory after beating Kuwait 1-0 and are leading the table with six points.

The September 20-24 tournament to celebrate the 1,000 anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi has four teams partaking in single round robin format with the champions to pocket US$20,000. Two runners-up get $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.

In the last match-day on Friday, Vietnam will take on North Korea and Australia to face Kuwait.

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Vietnam secure early win in 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Cup

Kuwait goalie F.Marzouq challenges the ball with Vietnamese players during their 1000th Thang Long-Hanoi Footbal cup match at Hanoi's My Dinh National Stadium on Tuesday - Photo: TTXVN

HCMC - The Vietnamese national squad defeated Kuwait U23 3-0 in the opener of the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Cup Football Cup 2010 at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Monday while North Korea beat Australia U23 1-0 in the earlier game.

The North Korean team was said to be strong because they would send their best players including 14 players who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June, and the Australian and Kuwait teams were also sending their strongest players.  

However, the North Korean side had sent in the 23-member squad with only six who attended the World Cup 2010. The Kuwait U23’s coach Al Shemmari said his team would include 12 players who played in the Gulf Cup final against the United Arabs of Emirates last month.

The Vietnamese team participated in the round-robin tournament with their strongest squad in hopes of keeping the cup at home. However, Vietnam faced some disadvantage when star striker Le Cong Vinh and former star striker Pham Van Quyen skipped the tournament because of injury.

Under heavy pressure from local fans, hosts Vietnam, coached by Henrique Calisto, dominated the game from the beginning and they placed more pressure on their opponents. Despite good ball possession, Vietnamese forwarders failed to grasp any scoring chances.

The Vietnamese had to wait until the 44th minute when striker Nguyen Viet Thang opened the score with a penalty kick. A Kuwait defender made a mistake as he handballed to give Vietnam a penalty kick and Thang made no mistakes, scoring first goal for his team.

After the break, the home side continuously organized more attacks on Kuwait defending lines and captain Nguyen Minh Phuong doubled his team’s advantage in the 66th minute with a free kick outside penalty area.

The visitors bounced back after the second goal as they put more pressure on their opponents aiming to narrow the scoring gap but all their scoring chances were denied by goalie Nguyen Hong Son.

Substitute Nguyen Trong Hoang, who replaced Nguyen Quang Hai in the 79th minute, finalized the game at 3-0 in the 84th minute to keep Vietnam’s hopes of winning the cup.

In the earlier opening game, the North Korean showed why they were favorites. Park Song Chol scored the only goal for his team in the 16th minute despite North Korea dominated the game from the beginning. 

Kuwait U23 will play North Korea at 5:00 p.m. and Australia U23 take on Vietnam at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kuwait U23, North Korea and Australia U23 together with the Vietnamese national squad are competing at the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Football Cup.

The four teams are playing in a round-robin tournament with the team that gets the most points being declared the championship. The tournament is taking place from Monday to Friday at My Dinh National Stadium in the capital.

The winners will receive a cash prize of US$20,000, the runners-up US$10,000, and the third team US$5,000.

The tournament is seen as a warm-up for the Vietnamese team to prepare for the Southeast Asian championship - AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, co-hosted by Indonesia and Vietnam from December 1 to 29, where they are in Group B with Singapore, Myanmar and the runner-up team in the qualifying round.

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Vietnam to face U23 Kuwait first in Thang Long-Hanoi Cup

HCMC - In their opener, the Vietnamese national football team will meet the Kuwaiti U23s in the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Cup Football Cup 2010 next Monday in Hanoi.

The Australian U23s will meet North Korea in the tournament’s opening game.

Big crowds are expected to come and watch the North Korean team and the U23 teams of Australia and Kuwait who are sending over their strongest squads for the round-robin tournament.

The friendly tournament, which is part of activities to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long –Hanoi, is taking place from next Monday to Friday at My Dinh National Stadium in the capital.

According to the organizers, the North Korean team will send a 23-member squad, including 14 football players who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June.

The North Korean team will feature eight key players including goalie Ri Myong-guk; defenders Pak Chol-jin, Nam Song-chol; midfielders Kim Yong-jun and Pak Nam-chol, Kim Kum Il and Mun In-guk; and striker Choe Kum-chol.

The Vietnamese team will also be fielding their strongest squad in hopes of keeping the cup at home. However, coach Henrique Calisto’s star striker Le Cong Vinh, who has just returned from Portugal from a ligament operation, will not attend the tournament.

Moreover, former national striker Pham Van Quyen has lost his chance with the national squad because of injury. Quyen needs an operation on his right ankle with an extended rest for recovery, according to doctors.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has received FIFA’s permission to field former national striker and his teammate midfielder Le Van Truong again in international competition. The two players were involved in a match-fixing scandal at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.

Last month, VFF asked FIFA to repeal its suspension of Quyen and Truong so that they could participate in the Thang Long-Hanoi Cup and the AFF Cup tournaments in late 2010. Both players completed their national suspension penalty in January 2009 and returned to their V-League clubs.

The champion team will receive a prize worth US$20,000, and the second and the third places will be awarded prizes valued at US$10,000 and US$5,000, respectively.

Tickets for the event are being distributed through the Vietnam Football Development JS Company. The tickets are VND120,000, VND100,000, VND80,000, and VND40,000.

All six matches from the cup will be aired live on Vietnam Television’s VTV2 channel and other local stations.

In related news, 30 players of the Vietnamese Olympic football team have been called up to prepare for the International Football Tournament - Millennium Thang Long - Hanoi Cup in HCMC.

The team, coached by Phan Thanh Hung, includes the best young players on V-League teams.

The team will compete with the Olympic teams from Iran, Malaysia and Singapore in the round-robin tournament, which will be held at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCMC from September 28 to October 2.

The Vietnamese players will limber up with the Cambodian national squad in two friendly matches to be held at Thanh Long and Thong Nhat stadiums on September 18 and 21 before taking part in the friendly tournament.

It is expected that the Vietnamese Olympic team will get more experience before joining the 16th ASIAD Sports Festival in China from November 7 to 26.

Thang Long-Hanoi Cup schedule:
September 20 North Korea vs U23 Australia (4:45 p.m.)
Vietnam vs U23 Kuwait (7:00 p.m.)
September 22
U23 Kuwait vs North Korea (5:00 p.m.)
U23 Australia – Vietnam (7:00 p.m.)
September 24
U23 Kuwait vs U23 Australia (5:00 p.m.)
Vietnam vs North Korea (7:00 p.m.)

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Vietnam to face U23 Kuwait first in Thang Long-Hanoi Cup

HCMC - In their opener, the Vietnamese national football team will meet the Kuwaiti U23s in the 1,000th Thang Long-Hanoi Cup Football Cup 2010 next Monday in Hanoi.

The Australian U23s will meet North Korea in the tournament’s opening game.

Big crowds are expected to come and watch the North Korean team and the U23 teams of Australia and Kuwait who are sending over their strongest squads for the round-robin tournament.

The friendly tournament, which is part of activities to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long –Hanoi, is taking place from next Monday to Friday at My Dinh National Stadium in the capital.

According to the organizers, the North Korean team will send a 23-member squad, including 14 football players who attended the World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June.

The North Korean team will feature eight key players including goalie Ri Myong-guk; defenders Pak Chol-jin, Nam Song-chol; midfielders Kim Yong-jun and Pak Nam-chol, Kim Kum Il and Mun In-guk; and striker Choe Kum-chol.

The Vietnamese team will also be fielding their strongest squad in hopes of keeping the cup at home. However, coach Henrique Calisto’s star striker Le Cong Vinh, who has just returned from Portugal from a ligament operation, will not attend the tournament.

Moreover, former national striker Pham Van Quyen has lost his chance with the national squad because of injury. Quyen needs an operation on his right ankle with an extended rest for recovery, according to doctors.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has received FIFA’s permission to field former national striker and his teammate midfielder Le Van Truong again in international competition. The two players were involved in a match-fixing scandal at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.

Last month, VFF asked FIFA to repeal its suspension of Quyen and Truong so that they could participate in the Thang Long-Hanoi Cup and the AFF Cup tournaments in late 2010. Both players completed their national suspension penalty in January 2009 and returned to their V-League clubs.

The champion team will receive a prize worth US$20,000, and the second and the third places will be awarded prizes valued at US$10,000 and US$5,000, respectively.

Tickets for the event are being distributed through the Vietnam Football Development JS Company. The tickets are VND120,000, VND100,000, VND80,000, and VND40,000.

All six matches from the cup will be aired live on Vietnam Television’s VTV2 channel and other local stations.

In related news, 30 players of the Vietnamese Olympic football team have been called up to prepare for the International Football Tournament - Millennium Thang Long - Hanoi Cup in HCMC.

The team, coached by Phan Thanh Hung, includes the best young players on V-League teams.

The team will compete with the Olympic teams from Iran, Malaysia and Singapore in the round-robin tournament, which will be held at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCMC from September 28 to October 2.

The Vietnamese players will limber up with the Cambodian national squad in two friendly matches to be held at Thanh Long and Thong Nhat stadiums on September 18 and 21 before taking part in the friendly tournament.

It is expected that the Vietnamese Olympic team will get more experience before joining the 16th ASIAD Sports Festival in China from November 7 to 26.

Thang Long-Hanoi Cup schedule:
September 20 North Korea vs U23 Australia (4:45 p.m.)
Vietnam vs U23 Kuwait (7:00 p.m.)
September 22
U23 Kuwait vs North Korea (5:00 p.m.)
U23 Australia – Vietnam (7:00 p.m.)
September 24
U23 Kuwait vs U23 Australia (5:00 p.m.)
Vietnam vs North Korea (7:00 p.m.)

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Middlesbrough trip to North Korea revives 1966 memories

80,000 of workers and students perform at North Korea’s propaganda spectacle called the Arirang, at the May Day stadium in Pyongyang in 2007

The unlikely sporting link between English town Middlesbrough and North Korea will be renewed this week when a team of women footballers head off into the unknown for a week-long visit.

Middlesbrough Ladies have been invited to play two matches in Pyongyang against local club sides with team manager Marrie Wieczorek expecting her players to make a bigger stir there than they do back home on England's north-east coast.

"At home we get crowds of 30 or 40, and they're all family, but from what I've heard we could be playing in a stadium that holds 35,000. Pride is a huge thing in North Korea and I expect that my girls will be playing in front of more fans than they would have ever experienced before," Wieczorek told Reuters.

"I'm sure they will treat our visit as a showcase occasion to the outside world.

“I imagine that their pride in their country means they will be really up for our visit and trying hard to win.”

North Korea and Middlesbrough have been inexorably linked since 1966 when the North Koreans famously beat Italy during the World Cup finals at the club's former Ayresome Park stadium.

"You don't hear much about Middlesbrough in this country, but in North Korea it's linked with one of their greatest sporting moments," said Wieczorek. "I think it's the only reason we are being invited into the country because of our links with North Korea.”

“I've heard from the British Embassy that the people in the North Korea Ministry of Sport speak very warmly of Middlesbrough."

While in Pyongyang Middlesbrough's players, aged between 17 and 25, and coaching staff will meet the surviving members of the 1966 squad, including Pak Do Ik, the scorer of the winning goal against Italy. They will also coach schoolchildren.

"Everyone is so excited about the trip. It's such a fantastic opportunity for all of us to visit a country that we could never have imagined getting to see.”

A few local rules will have to be obeyed though.

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Singapore stars sweep SEA tourney

Rising star Dinh Quang Linh lost to Singapore's Gao Ning in the men's singles final of the All-Stars Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championship on Sunday night.

Linh, who beat team-mate Tran Tuan Quynh in the semi-final, was defeated by Gao Ning in four sets, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 at Hai Duong Gymnasium.

In the women's final, Singaporean Yu Mengyu beat Komwong Nathanna of Thailand 11-12, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6.

This was the first time Viet Nam had organised a tournament featuring the participation of 16 top regional players.

VN to test World Cup players at tourney

Viet Nam's national football squad will meet North Korea in the Millennium Thang Long-Ha Noi Football Cup next Friday.

North Korea will send a 22-member squad, including 14 who played at the World Cup in South Africa in June.

The North Korean team will feature eight key players including goalie Ri Myong-guk; defenders Pak Chol-jin, Nam Song-chol; midfielders Kim Yong-jun and Pak Nam-chol, Kim Kum Il and Mun In-guk; and striker Choe Kum-chol.

Viet Nam will also play against U-23 teams from Australia and Kuwait during the tournament that runs from September 20 to 24.

The hosts will meet Kuwait in their opening game next Monday before taking on Australia two days later.

The winning squad will walk away with US$20,000 cash, while the second and third place squads will pocket $10,000 and $5,000.

The Millennium Cup's tickets, which cost from VND40,000 ($2) to VND120,000 (US$6), will go on sale in Ha Noi on Friday.

The Viet Nam Football Federation and Thai Son Group signed sponsorship deal yesterday. — VNS

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FIFA dismiss North Korea witch hunt claims

North Korea's Jong Tae Se (R) and Portugal's Pedro Mendes head the ball during the 2010 World Cup group G match at Green Point stadium in Cape Town June 21, 2010

Photo: Reuters

FIFA has dismissed allegations that North Korea’s coach and players were punished for losing all three of their games at this year’s World Cup.

Asian media reported the side had been publicly shamed after returning from South Africa having conceded 12 goals in the first round. Soccer’s governing body FIFA insisted it was business as usual for North Korea and that no such witch hunt had taken place.

“The (North Korean) FA assures FIFA that Mr Kim Jong Hun, head coach of the national team, and all the other members of the national team are training as usual,” FIFA said in a statement.

“The association also indicates that there were no sanctions to the coach and that the reports on this matter were baseless.

“With all of the information at hand, and having checked all of sources, FIFA has decided to close the matter.”

North Korea lost 2-1 to Brazil, were humiliated 7-0 by Portugal and easily beaten 3-0 by Ivory Coast at the World Cup.

South Korean media claimed Kim and his team were forced onto a stage at the People’s Palace of Culture in front of 400 government officials, students and journalists.

Reports said the players were subjected to six hours of criticism for their performance at the World Cup, their first appearance since 1966.

Election fair

FIFA added that an election for the president of the North Korea FA was also considered to be within its rules.

“The (North Korean) FA clarified that the election of the president of the association held on June 19 was held in accordance with the statutes of the association and were not affected by any result of the team at the World Cup,” said FIFA.

“At the time of the election the team had only played one match against Brazil and had shown a good level of play.”

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