Nghe An take V-League lead

Speedy: Nguyen Trong Hoang (right) of Song Lam Nghe An vies for the ball against Hoa Phat Ha Noi defenders in their V-League match at Vinh Stadium on Saturday. Nghe An won 2-1. — VNA/VNS Photo Lan Xuan

HA NOI — Song Lam Nghe An took the lead of the V-League Eximbank Cup after beating Hoa Phat Ha Noi 2-1 on Saturday.

The central team fought back to win in a thrilling match against the tough rivals on their home turf.

Striker Timothy Anjembe from Nigeria scored to help Ha Noi gain an early 1-0 lead 10 minutes into the game.

Fagan Andre Diego scored the equalising goal 16 minutes into the second half before Kavin Eltroy Bryan netted a ball during the 85th minute.

The win put Nghe An on top of the V-League with seven points, one point clear of SHB Da Nang who beat Ha Noi T&T 2-0 earlier at Ha Noi's Hang Day Stadium on Friday.

Khatoco Khanh Hoa, who stunned V-League two-time champions Becamex Binh Duong 3-1 on Saturday, are holding third place with six points.

Defending champions Ha Noi T&T dropped to fourth place with six points after a 2-0 loss to Da Nang.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai secured their first win in the V-League after beating newly-promoted Ha Noi ACB 3-1 in the capital city on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Navibank Sai Gon crushed Lam Son Thanh Hoa 3-1. Vicem Hai Phong were held to a 1-1 draw by Dong Thap at Hai Phong's Lach Tray Stadium, while Ninh Binh were defeated by Dong Tam Long An 2-1 at home.

The next round of V-League games will take place tomorrow, Friday and Sunday. — VNS

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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.

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Hanoi T&T win Super Cup 2011 in penalty shootout

HCMC – Hanoi T&T won the Super Cup for the first time after beating Song Lam Nghe An 4-2 in a penalty shootout at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi yesterday, picking up VND150 million in cash.

They drew 2-2 in the official time, Edmun Owusu and Nguyen Trong Hoang scored for Song Lam Nghe An in the 53rd and 69th minutes but Cao Sy Cuong and Cristiano Roland leveled the score for the home side in the 81st minute and injury time.

Backed by thousands of spectators, the home team totally controlled the first half while Song Lam Nghe An played defensively and relied on rare counter attacks.

Both sides created scoring chances but the score was goalless upon the referee’s whistle at the end of the half.

In the second half, Song Lam placed more attacks on their opponent defenders in search for a goal and Edmun Owusu opened for the National Cup winners in the 53rd minute.

Hanoi T&T bounced back after the goal and their players dominated the ball possession but the home side forwards squandered chances.

Midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang doubled for the visitors in the 69th minute. However, Cao Sy Cuong narrowed the score for Hanoi T&T in the 81st minute before Cristiano Roland leveled the score at 2-2 in the injury time.

In the shoot-out, Hanoi T&T goalkeeper Nguyen Duc Thang made a brilliant save from Nguyen Van Quyet’s kick to be the hero for his team while Tran Dinh Dong and  Nguyen Trong Hoang failed to score in their penalty shootouts for Song Lam Nghe An.

The runners up received VND70 million in cash. 

To mark the start of the football season, the Super Cup is held every year between the previous season’s National Football Championship winner and the winner of the National Cup.

Hanoi T&T won the premier league in June while Song Lam Nghe An defeated two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 1-0 in the National Cup final in August.

Last year, National Cup winners Lam Son Thanh Hoa won the Super Cup after defeating V-League champions SHB Danang 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out at Ninh Binh Stadium in northern Ninh Binh Province. The Super Cup was organized for the first time in 1998.

It is the 12th year that the event has been organized by Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper and the Vietnam Football Federation. The 584 Group is the cup’s sponsors.

The National Cup 2011 began on Saturday. The tournament has attracted 27 teams from the premier V-League and the First Division, competing in knock-out format.

The Vietnam League will open on February 22 and the First Division Tournament will begin two days earlier. The two that are most important tournaments of Vietnamese football will close on August 21 and 20, respectively.

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Ha Noi T&T meet Song Lam Nghe An in Super Cup

HA NOI – Defending V-League champions Ha Noi T&T are ready for a tough season opener against Song Lam Nghe An in the Super Cup at Hang Day Stadium next Sunday.

The Hanoian team, who won the premier league in June, will play their long-term rivals and National Cup winners Nghe An in a widely anticipated match before hosting Hoa Phat Ha Noi in the opening game of the national championships on January 22.

T&T boast a string of stars including goalie Duong Hong Son, the 2008 player of the year and captain Brazilian Cristiano Roland as well as maestro Le Hong Minh and Brazil's Cauce Benicio along with attacking midfielder Cao Sy Cuong.

Top striker Le Cong Vinh has yet to recover from a knee injury, but the team welcomes the services of newly-signed left winger Thach Bao Khanh from Thanh Hoa and striker Iuril from the Ukraine.

"We have kept our key players who helped the club clinch the first trophy for a Hanoian team in 12 years. I expect Vinh to be back in action soon," said the club chairman, Nguyen Quoc Hoi.

Team coach Phan Thanh Hung has been watching the 24-year-old Iuril at the on-going Hoa Phat Football tournament before he is due to sign a contract next month.

However, Nghe An are not likely to go down without a fight and are planning on giving Ha Noi T&T a run for their money having just finished an intensive month of pre-season training.

They pose a serious attacking threat with the combination of Raiko Vidovic, Abdulrazak Ekpoki and Mitrovic Dalibor up front.

Nghe An go into the game full of confidence after defeating two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 1-0 in the National Cup final in August.

They also have the added incentive of winning the Super Cup for a fourth time.

Super Cup glory

The Super Cup winners will receive a VND150 million (US$7,000) cash prize, with the runners-up pocketing VND70 million ($3,300).

Former The Cong, or the Army team won the first Super Cup in 1999. Nghe An took home the cup in 2000, 2001, and 2002. They were finally beaten by Hoang Anh-Gia Lai, who held the title for the next two years.

Binh Duong also grabbed the title twice.

This is the 12th year that the event will be organised by the Tien Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper and the Viet Nam Football Federation. The 584 Group is the cup's sponsors. -- VNS

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Season ends with Song Lam Nghe An National Cup win

Dinh Dong of Song Lam Nghe An fights for the ball with Van Nhien of Hoang Anh Gia Lai (top) during their V-League football match at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCMC on Saturday - Photo: Ba Chau

HCMC –Song Lam Nghe An won the National Cup 2010 after defeating two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 1-0 at HCMC’s Thong Nhat Stadium on Saturday.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai were still confident of a win even though the Central Highlands-based team started the game without left winger Le Van Truong, midfielder Nguyen Thai Duong and goalkeeper Shihavy. Brazilian strikers Evaldo Goncalves and Tiago De Paula, and Thai-born midfielders Nirut Surasiang and Sakda Joemdee, however, played from the kickoff.

Central-based Song Lam Nghe An, who won the cup twice in 2001 and 2002, were also confident with 2003 Golden Ball award winner Pham Van Quyen and national defender Nguyen Huy Hoang in their line-up.

Song Lam Nghe An strengthened their line-up earlier this year by signing Nigerian Abdulrazak Ekpoki and newly naturalized defender Helio, however, Bosnian Rajko Vidovic, who has scored 11 goals this season, was absent as he could not recover from his knee injury in time.

Both teams put pressure on in the first minutes, aiming to gain victory but the game got off to a wet start because of heavy rains. The player’s skills were affected by the rain and they did not control the ball.

With good ball possession, Song Lam Nghe An forwarders dominated the game and they nearly scored when striker Pham Van Quyen hit the post. Abdulrazak Ekpoki opened for Song Lam with a header in the 24th minute.

The second half was marred by heavy rain, Hoang Anh Gia Lai placed pressure on Song Lam’s defending line while Song Lam played defensively and relied on rare counter attacks to ensure their victory.

Despite strong attacks, Hoang Anh players created some scoring chances in the second half, but left the score at 1-0. Abdulrazak Ekpoki failed to score for Song Lam as his kick touched cross bar in the 82nd minute.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai beat SHB Danang 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the semifinal match while Song Lam Nghe An crushed Nam Dinh 3-0 in the second semifinal match in the National Cup 2010.

Song Lam Nghe An won the trophy and VND350 million (US$18,000). SHB Danang and Nam Dinh both ranked third.   

Vietnam’s National Football Cup 2010 drew 26 teams including 14 teams from the country’s V-League and 12 teams from First Division.

The National Cup’s final marked the end of Vietnam’s 2009-2010 football season. The new season will begin in December with the Super Cup match when V-League champions Hanoi T&T will meet National Cup winners Song Lam Nghe An.

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