Binh Dinh cruise to Emperor Quang Trung Cup win
Binh Dinh ran home winners of the Quang Trung Emperor Football Cup, beating Khatoco Khanh Hoa 2-0 in the final on 30 January.
The opening salvo of the contest was fired in the 35th minute, when former national player Truong Viet Hoang, curled in a perfect corner that found Aniekan Okon Ekpe ready to pounce on a volley, which keeper Pham Van Thach failed to block out.
The second was scored when Le Thanh Phuong hit a chip shot after running on to a deft touch from Washington that left the Khanh Hoa defence in disarray.
It is the fifth time Binh Dinh have gone on to hoist the cup, which is also known as the Bidiphar Cup from the six occasions that they have played host to the event. The only occasion in which they did not win the tournament was in 2004 when they lost to Binh Duong.
With the win, Binh Dinh received a bonus of VND50mil (US$3,100) and a fair play prize while Khanh Hoa took second place and VND30mil.
In the earlier match for third place, Southern Steel-Sai Gon Port trounced Binh Duong 4-0 in a hotly contested affair that saw three red cards handed out.
The Port playing with the wind at their backs, scored the first three goals by the 37th minute mark of the first half.
The first one came from a poorly played tap back by Binh Duong’s keeper Vu Truong. With the keeper failing to handle the ball Elenido de Jesus jumped on it to tap in what would be the first of a hattrick day for the in form striker.
The V-League’s top scorer had his second 28 minutes later when he received a through ball near the penalty box and again tapped it in unopposed.
Substitute Van Tien then rounded out the first half white wash, when Truong having a shocker of a game already, muffed a long range strike to leave his side with virtually no chance of salvaging a win.
After the break, De Jesus completed his hattrick in the 59th minute, after digging out a shot from outside the box.
With an embarrassing rout on their hands, tempers began to fray as Binh Duong’s players started to lose their composure.
Halfback Luong Trung Tuan was shown the first red card when he absurdly played a bad challenge on Helio da Suva Assis.
Later on the teams were at it again when striker Kleber Santos of the Port elbowed Truong Van Hai, causing a nasty gash above his eye. Hai retaliated with an elbow of his own to Santos, and the fight was on.
Match organisers eventually managed to restore calm and sent both players back for early showers.
“We were very disappointed with the attitude of both two teams. The game seemed over when the score was 4-0, I do not understand why they lost their calm,” said Le Van Minh, head of the organising board.
“Although it was a friendly tournament such bad behaviour is unacceptable. We will have a meeting and report it to the Viet Nam Football Federation,” he said.
Sai Gon Port picked up an extra VND20mil with the win and striker De Jesus was named top scorer of the tournament with four goals.
VNN
