U19 hosts takes dirty win over Singapore’s U21s

Vietnam’s under-19 team came from behind to beat Singapore’s under-21 squad 2-1 at the fourth International U21 Football Tournament at HCMC’s Thong Nhat Stadium on Monday.

Questions remain about the legitimacy of the win.

The young Vietnamese players’ performance left a pretty bad impression on the hometown fans in general and on the Singaporean visitors in particular.

The game began with an unimaginable blunder.

The Son, an unmarked defender, passed the ball back to goalkeeper Anh Duc who was standing a bit far from the goal. The ball sailed past Duc and into the back of the net.

Though Son was replaced immediately after the incident but the sudden goal placed the team in a dire mood.

At times, it looked like the Vietnamese didn’t know how to get the ball into the Singaporean penalty zone.

With a bit of luck, however, the Vietnamese boys claimed an equalizer five minutes from the final whistle. Quoc Phuong fired a shot that bested Singapore’s goalkeeper.

The point surprised the Singaporean players, causing them to lose concentration and allowing the Vietnamese players to take a second goal in the final minutes after a mix-up in Singapore’s penalty area.

The confused coup allowed the Vietnamese fans to heave a sigh.

Yet it was a sigh without relief. The gameplay turned just plain ugly, at times. Several deliberate fouls by the home players caused the fans to be more worried than happy about the final 2-1 victory. 

 “Today, I am pleased with my players’ fast performance,” said Vietnam’s team coach Trieu Quang Ha. “Yet my players were not psychologically well, especially after conceding the first goal because of an own goal.They are still very young, and that was why they couldn’t keep calm and that led to their fouls. This is what they need to improve in the future.”

Singapore’s U21 team coach Pathmanathan S/O Thambiayah struck a rather disappointed note.

“It was a hard game for my players,” he told reporters after the match. “I don’t want to comment on the referees’ work in this game. The result was not as good as we expected but that is football. One problem is that several of my players suffered serious injuries.

“My players did their best today, though. I want to congratulate the Vietnamese U19 team on the win.”

In other action, the Vietnamese team’s coaching staff, manager and players held a post-game meeting to discuss their performance.

Following the meeting, Team Manager Truong Hai Tung publicly apologized to the spectators and TV viewers for the young team’s failure to exhibit proper restraint. He admitted that his players had made deliberate fouls after the disheartening first goal.

The team’s managerial staff and the players promised to improve the situation in the coming games. Tung also apologized to the visiting Singaporean U21 team for the incidents in the game.

Related Articles

• U19 hosts takes dirty win over Singapore’s U21s
• Wozniacki cruises to win at Montreal Cup
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• Swimmer dreams of Asian Games glory
• Tiger Woods and wife divorce after sex scandal

U19 hosts takes dirty win over Singapore’s U21s

Vietnam’s under-19 team came from behind to beat Singapore’s under-21 squad 2-1 at the fourth International U21 Football Tournament at HCMC’s Thong Nhat Stadium on Monday.

Questions remain about the legitimacy of the win.

The young Vietnamese players’ performance left a pretty bad impression on the hometown fans in general and on the Singaporean visitors in particular.

The game began with an unimaginable blunder.

The Son, an unmarked defender, passed the ball back to goalkeeper Anh Duc who was standing a bit far from the goal. The ball sailed past Duc and into the back of the net.

Though Son was replaced immediately after the incident but the sudden goal placed the team in a dire mood.

At times, it looked like the Vietnamese didn’t know how to get the ball into the Singaporean penalty zone.

With a bit of luck, however, the Vietnamese boys claimed an equalizer five minutes from the final whistle. Quoc Phuong fired a shot that bested Singapore’s goalkeeper.

The point surprised the Singaporean players, causing them to lose concentration and allowing the Vietnamese players to take a second goal in the final minutes after a mix-up in Singapore’s penalty area.

The confused coup allowed the Vietnamese fans to heave a sigh.

Yet it was a sigh without relief. The gameplay turned just plain ugly, at times. Several deliberate fouls by the home players caused the fans to be more worried than happy about the final 2-1 victory. 

 “Today, I am pleased with my players’ fast performance,” said Vietnam’s team coach Trieu Quang Ha. “Yet my players were not psychologically well, especially after conceding the first goal because of an own goal.They are still very young, and that was why they couldn’t keep calm and that led to their fouls. This is what they need to improve in the future.”

Singapore’s U21 team coach Pathmanathan S/O Thambiayah struck a rather disappointed note.

“It was a hard game for my players,” he told reporters after the match. “I don’t want to comment on the referees’ work in this game. The result was not as good as we expected but that is football. One problem is that several of my players suffered serious injuries.

“My players did their best today, though. I want to congratulate the Vietnamese U19 team on the win.”

In other action, the Vietnamese team’s coaching staff, manager and players held a post-game meeting to discuss their performance.

Following the meeting, Team Manager Truong Hai Tung publicly apologized to the spectators and TV viewers for the young team’s failure to exhibit proper restraint. He admitted that his players had made deliberate fouls after the disheartening first goal.

The team’s managerial staff and the players promised to improve the situation in the coming games. Tung also apologized to the visiting Singaporean U21 team for the incidents in the game.

Related Articles

• U19 hosts takes dirty win over Singapore’s U21s
• Wozniacki cruises to win at Montreal Cup
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• Tiger Woods and wife divorce after sex scandal
• Market moves up sharply

Vietnam U21 beat Thailand 3-1 at Thanh Nien Cup

Vietnam U21 players celebrate their goal during their Thanh Nien Newspaper Cup football match against Thailand U21 in HCMC on Wednesday - Photo: Ba Chau

HCMC –Vietnam U21 beat archrivals Thailand 3-1 in their last group stage match in the fourth International U-21 Football Tournament 2010, or Thanh Nien Newspaper Cup, on Wednesday. 

Before the game, both Vietnam and Thailand were drawn at three points as they had both thrashed their opponents in their openers, with the Thai’s 4-0 win over Myanmar on Monday and Vietnam’s thrashing of Myanmar 5-1 on Saturday.

Because of the goal difference, a draw would have been enough for the hosts to stay on top, while the Thais needed a victory to be group A leaders.

Vietnam, who began with nine changes from coach Dinh Van Dung after their win over Myanmar, showed great determination.

Heavy rain dampened the player’s attacks early in the first half leaving the Vietnamese crowd waiting till the 35th minute to celebrate, when Xuan Hieu took a kick in the penalty box beating Thai goalie, Yen Arom.

After the break, Vietnam kept possession and Duy Lam doubled for his team with a free kick from outside the penalty area just minutes in.

Duc Nhan scored for the Vietnamese side in the 65th minute before Pattana Sokjoho finalized the score at 3-1 in the 68th minute. 

With the victory, Vietnam U21 finished their group competition as group A leaders with six points from two wins, while runners-up Thailand stayed at three points from one win and one loss. Bottom-placed Singapore, who exited from the tournament, gained no points from two losses.  

In the earlier match on Wednesday, Vietnam U19 started the game with substitutes, but dominated against Malaysia U21. The visitors secured a late victory, to finish top of Group B, when striker Ravindran scored the only goal in the 86th minute. Despite the loss the Vietnam U19 will still go through to the semis.

Malaysia had four points from one win and one draw, while Vietnam U19 were runners-up with three points.

On Friday’s semifinal games, Vietnam U21 will meet Vietnam U19 at 3:30 p.m. and Thailand will play Malaysia at 6:00 p.m. The final and third place games will be on Sunday.

Related Articles

• Vietnam U21 beat Thailand 3-1 at Thanh Nien Cup
• Tevez on target as Man City beat Liverpool 3-0
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• U19 hosts takes dirty win over Singapore’s U21s
• Wozniacki cruises to win at Montreal Cup

‘Floating Lives' makes splash

Vietnamese film Canh Dong Bat Tan (Floating Lives), an adaptation from
an award-winning short story by Nguyen Ngoc Tu, is poised to become a
box-office hit in HCM City.

Tickets were sold out hours
before the filmshows began at big cinemas like Megastar Hung Vuong,
Galaxy Nguyen Du and Galaxy Nguyen Trai on Oct.27.

Several theatres increased the number of daily shows from two to three but many people were still unable to get tickets.

The film, produced by the BHD Company, has grossed nearly 4 billion VND (205,000 USD) in the first four days of screening.

"We're encouraged that Floating Lives are attracting big crowds at
cinemas and many viewers have posted favourable comments on social
networking sites," said Ngo Thi Bich Hien, BHD deputy director.

"The film tells an emotional story and audiences are curious about it, " Hien said.

"We enjoyed the film because its representation of human despair,
suffering and love is lively and persuasive, " said a third-year HCM
City university student. "The film's well-known actors and actresses
also attract young people," he said.

Floating Lives,
which premiered at the Vietnam International Film Festival in Hanoi
last week, will also be screened in Bien Hoa, Da Nang and Hai Phong.

The film, directed by Nguyen Phan Quang Binh, tells the
story of a family who leads a nomadic life on rivers in the Cuu Long (
Mekong ) Delta region. The main character is Vo (played by overseas
Vietnamese actor Dustin Nguyen) whose wife left him for a cloth vendor.
He seeks solace in other women, whom he jilts as soon as they have
fallen in love with him.

When Suong (acted by Do Thi Hai
Yen), a prostitute, joins the family, Vo's daughter and son welcome her
and love her. Vo's affection for her also grows.

Canh Dong
Bat Tan created a literary stir among Vietnamese readers when it was
published five years ago. Released by the Tre (Youth) Publishing House,
the story was a bestseller in Vietnam in 2005.

"We
know how difficult it is to turn a work of literature appreciated by a
great number of people into an equally popular film," the film makers
said.

The story won an award of the Vietnam Writers Association in 2006./.

Foreign jugglers lure local children

Lately, teenagers and children have been frequenting the Sunday
afternoon circus performance of a foreign entertainment group at Hanoi
Botanical Park.

The group, which includes
amateur artists of many nationalities, shows the audience outstanding
and original skills. One of the members of the group, Fran Donovan, a

petite from Wales, England carefully juggles colourful balls of all different sizes, catching them with her skilful hands.

"When I was a child, my parents used to take me to the local circus
and to festivals on weekends. Watching people and animals performing
magic tricks made a strong impression on me," said Donovan.

Donovan and her boyfriend Ali Evans started the group and invited their friends to join.

"I love children a lot. It was a great idea to teach them my tricks,"
she says while her hands are busy playing with five fabric balls.

"Beginners should practice with two balls of the same size. First,
throw one ball into the air and watch it closely, not too high or too
low so you are able to focus on the ball.

When the first ball is already up, continue by throwing the second ball."

After living in Vietnam for a year and a half, Donovan and her group
all come from Hanoi Circus Club, have performed in several places in
Hanoi . Most of the audience members are children, but more and more
teenagers and young adults are coming to the shows. According to
Donovan, the size of the audience changes constantly.

Sometimes people she's never seen before pass by to watch the group perform.

"We do not have many toys to bring to the park, so we've asked our
Vietnamese friends living in the Old Quarter to make more balls for us.
The staffs are made from

bamboo, and the clubs are made from rattan, which makes them very strong and stiff", added Donovan.

Evans, the group's leader, as well as an English teacher at the
Australian Centre for Education and Training, is capable of playing with
all the toys and said that patience is

necessary to study circus.

"You can juggle as many balls as you want, as long as you prastice
everyday. It really depends on how much you try," he said.

Like Evans, others members in the group have a main career, but they still serve audiences without pay.

One of Evans's student, Bui Thi Hong Nhung, from the Hanoi University
of Agriculture, said, "I have never tried to learn these skills before. I
only saw performances of animals and people in the Hanoi central
circus. Ali is a good teacher and a brilliant artist. This could be my
new hobby."

Another member from France, Franny, attracts children with her poi performance.

"Poi is a performance art in which one or more balls are suspended
from a certain length of flexible material, usually a plaited cord, and
swung in circular patterns by the

artist," said the poi artist.

The group plans to perform more skills in Hanoi 's Thong Nhat Park so that more children can come and watch.

"We just want to meet people and have fun. Money is not of certain to us," said Donovan./.

Related Articles

• Local firms urged to embrace cloud computing
• Vietnam’s 2010 exports to jump 22.6 pct: newspaper
• Banks scramble for mid-level managers
• VN sees cooperation with China as vital
• Wrong diagnoses almost kill two in delta hospital

Son shocks former world chess champion

International Grand Master (IGM) Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son sent shockwaves
through the chess world at the Cap D'Agde Rapid Chess Tournament in
France after beating former world champion Russian Anatoly Karpov in
his fifth match on Oct. 26.

The win took Son to third place in Group A, which should help him secure a quarter-final berth.

In an earlier game, Son drew with Bu Xiangzhi, one of his main rivals at the Asian Games in China next month.

"It's the first ever time a Vietnamese player has beaten the 12-time
world champion," said an official from Vietnam Chess Federation, Truong
Giang.

"However, the winning move was just a moment of
inspiration for Son, 20, in his battle against the 59-year-old former
world champion," he said.

He added that any player could lose a game during speed play with just one move.

Six years ago, Son became the second youngest IGM in world chess history at the age of 14 years and nine months.

The 20-year-old started to draw attention in 2000 when he won the World U-10s Chess Championship in Spain .

Meanwhile, Son's teammate, Le Quang Liem overcame the host country's
Gharamian Tigran in his fourth game before drawing with Ukraine 's
Vasily Ivanchuk. Liem scored 5.5 points that puts him second in
Group A. The event has drawn 16 participants divided into two groups.
The top four from each will qualify for the quarter-finals. The
tournament will finish on Oct. 30./.

Related Articles

• Young stars raise profile of Vietnam chess
• Prime Minister discusses relations, co-operation with Lao counterpart
• Tevez on target as Man City beat Liverpool 3-0
• Mothers share sorrow of war
• Tiger Woods and wife divorce after sex scandal

Germany's '54 World Cup win could be drug-tainted - study

Hungary’s Galloping Major, the great Ferenc Puskas (left), lashes a shot at goal during the 1954 World Cup final. West Germany’s Werner Liebrich, who had injured Puskas with a fierce tackle when the two teams met in the group stage, attempts to block it. Puskas scored the game’s opening goal, in the sixth minute, but the unruffled and unfancied Germans came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 and take their first World Cup title. The game would later become known in Germany as ‘The Miracle of Bern’; the Mighty Magyars, epitomised by Puskas, were considered almost unbeatable

West Germany's 1954 World Cup-winning team, feted as the men who helped put a nation back on its feet after World War Two, may have been boosted by a secret doping program, according to a new university study.

Germany upstaged red-hot favorites Hungary 3-2 in the final in Switzerland in a victory that became known as the "Miracle of Berne", giving the war-weary nation cause at last for cheer.

"There are several strong indications that point to the injection of (methamphetamine) pervitin in some Germany players and not vitamin C as it was claimed," sports historian and author Erik Eggers, who conducted the study as part of a team at Humboldt University in Berlin, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Pervitin was a known stimulant at the time and had also been distributed to German soldiers in World War Two.

Team officials had said they had injected their players only with vitamin C during the tournament. No drugs tests were conducted at the time.

Eggers has been studying this case for some years and his report forms part of a wider project called 'Doping in Germany', launched by the country's sports authorities to investigate its doping past.

"Pervitin was at that time widely used in many sports and amphetamines were said to be also used by South America players," Eggers said.

"What is suspicious is that these injections to German players were distributed secretly and the only reason they became known was because those who got injected contracted jaundice."

Hungary had demolished the Germans 8-3 in the tournament's group stage, making West Germany's final win all the more surprising.

"The most important indication, though, is that vitamin C is not injected. This is very unusual. They could have just eaten an orange instead."

German football federation (DFB) officials could not be immediately reached for a comment.

German Olympic Sports Union (DOSB), the country's umbrella sports organization which launched the Doping in Germany project with other sports authorities, told Reuters they were aware of Eggers' study.

"Keep in mind these are indications and not proof," a DOSB official told Reuters.

Many Germans view the 1954 win as the springboard of the country's remarkable soccer success in the World Cups -- they have won three and been runners-up four times -- and a key moment of renewed optimism in post-War Germany.

Related Articles

• Hanoi T&T win first V-League after scoreless draw
• Green cars begin world race
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• Poor rural children blaze education trail
• Future doctors look for clues in crazy race