Hoang Anh Gia Lai win, lead V-League

Former national champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) took the lead in V-League rankings after defeating Pisico Binh Dinh 2-0 on their home turf in the league”s opening round on Sunday.

At Binh Dinh”s Quy Nhon Stadium, strikers Tran Duy Quang and Nguyen Minh Nghia scored for HAGL in the 50th and 88th minutes of the match, without much of a fight from their opponents.

The first score resulted after Binh Dinh defender Nguyen Ngoc Bao attempted to block the goal but accidentally delivered it to Duy Quang, who was perfectly positioned in the box for a 10m shot.

HAGL got its second goal when Thai player Sakda Joemdee shot a pass to Nghia at the left wing near the goal. Though his position was less than ideal, Nghia managed to get a shot off, doubling the score.

Fans” support wasn”t enough of a boost for Binh Dinh to put up much resistance, although they had a chance in the sixth minute when forward Nguyen Minh Minh shot from just outside the box. Goalkeeper Tran Quoc Viet managed to stop it, though he didn”t make the save look good.

The victory launched HAGL to the top of the V-League rankings, followed by defending champions Dong Tam Long An.

In matches last Saturday, Long An also took a win after defeating Huda Hue 1-0.

Hue revealed their intention to end the match in a draw against the champions with a weak lineup, playing defensively: Coach Doan Phung used only one striker, Alfa Potowaba win, and five defenders.

Long An”s coach, Henrique Calisto, benched his favourite, Tshamala Kabanga, who is at big peak. He used Tostao Fungaikwashi with Nguyen Viet Thang as the forwards.

His tactics kept his team dominating most of the match.

Tostao openned the score when he chested a ball down from a left-wing pass, let it bounce once and sunk it past goalkeeper Munze Ulrich of Hue.

Despite the loss, Phung maintained it would not be easy for any team to overcome Hue this season.

In the next round, the champions will face Khatoco Khanh Hoa while Hue stay at home to welcome Da Nang.

Hoa Phat Ha Noi started out the football season with a lucky 90-minute goal to win in the first round of the Petro Vietnam Gas tournament at Ha Noi”s My Dinh Stadium.

It was the second time Hoa Phat-Ha Noi (HPHN) defeated Ha Noi ACB in a derby in their home stadium. Their first win was in the 13th round of the 2005 season when striker Brazilian Jucelio Das Silva scored twice.

In Saturday”s match, substitute Vu Hong Viet looped a ball to the far corner of the net past goalkeeper Pham Viet Cuong from an accurate pass by Willians D.O.Santos.

In terms of offensive strikes, the match began slowly. The first 15 minutes passed by without a shot.

The biggest blunder came at the hands of ACB team member Hassan Koeman Sesay, a midfielder, who put the ball in the net from a free kick. Referee Dao Van Cuong, however, disqualified the goal, saying the ball touched Hassan”s hand before going in the net.

Foreign players of HPHN became highlights of the match, who created daring assaults.

Under coach Vuong Tien Dung, HPHN”s trio of Santos, Silva and Antonio F.Padinha gave a strong performance which seemingly pushed their teammates to step up the match”s pace.

At the 24th minute, Santos opened his race from the middle of the ground, managing a pass of Padinha, passing former national defender Nguyen Manh Dung, and released a shot that went wide.

Santos also attracted much attention from ACB”s defender, giving gaps for his teammates to shoot. But keeper Viet Cuong successfully shut down the opposing offense until the final minute.

In other games, Song Lam Nghe An drew Nam Dinh 2-2 at Thien Truong. The V-League runner-up Binh Duong beat Dong Thap 1-0, and Da Nang overcame Southern Steel-Sai Gon Port 1-0.

In the last match yesterday, Khanh Hoa were tied 1-1 at home by newcomers to the league Halida Thanh Hoa.

VNS