VietNamNet Bridge – Table leaders Binh Duong had a convincing win over direct rivals FLC Thanh Hoa for the championship title; and foreign referees win trust from home fans were among the notable events of round 23 of the Toyota V-League 1-2015 competition.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai (blue) rekindle hopes for relegation escape with a 2-1 victory over Dong Nai on Friday.

1. Binh Duong dash to the finish

Becamex Binh Duong have confirmed their superior ability crushing their direct opponents FLC Thanh Hoa in the championship race with a 5-2 victory on Friday. With a lead of five points and three remaining rounds, ‘Chelsea Vietnam’ are one step closer to claiming the trophy of the V-League 2015 competition.

2. Equal opportunities for relegation escape

Hoang Anh Gia Lai have pushed Dong Nai to the bottom of the table, however, their chances of escaping relegation is still questionable for Gia Lai after Round 23; Can Tho and Gia Lai, both on 20 points each, as well as Dong Nai, on 17 points, continue to be the three teams circulating the relegation group. Among them, Dong Nai face disadvantages as they have to take into account the sub-indices for relegation.

3. Song Lam Nghe An earn home fans’ trust

After being said to play under their strength with easy losses throughout the season, Coach Ngo Quang Truong’s players regained confidence in their fans with a 1-0 win over Dong Thap on Friday. The win was not only important for boosting confidence but also rekindled hopes for Nghe An to make the Top 5.

4. Goal shower in the 23rd round

A total of 27 goals have been recorded in seven games in Round 23, averaging 3.42 goals a match. This is an impressive result whilst the V-League 2015 season is rapidly drawing to a close. Of these, the ‘great war’ between Binh Duong and Thanh Hoa contributed seven goals; QNK Quang Nam also surprisingly defeated Hai Phong 5-0 in their clash at Tam Ky Stadium.

5. Impressive foreign referees

Thai referee, Mongkolchai Pechsri, umpiring at the dramatic clash between Binh Duong and Thanh Hoa, and Malaysian referee Mohd Nafeez Abdul Wahab Bin umpiring the game between Dong Nai and Hoang Anh Gia Lai, have skillfully and tactfully completed their tasks of ensuring fair game play.

Nhan Dan