VietNamNet Bridge – Hai Phong extended their lead over other teams in the V.League following their 1-0 win over FLC Thanh Hoa yesterday, May 22.

Le Van Thang scores an only goal to help Hai Phong beat FLC Thanh Hoa in the V.League round 11 match on May 22. — Photo webthethao.vn

After their ninth win, they are now securely holding the top position with 28 points, nine more than runner-up Becamex Binh Duong, who just scored a 1-1 draw with Sai Gon FC.

FLC Thanh Hoa’s loss meant they became the third-place team, with as many points as Becamex Binh Duong.

Local top scorer of 2015, Le Van Thang, scored the only goal for the leading Hai Phong just five minutes before the interval at Thanh Hoa Stadium.

His goal ended FLC Thanh Hoa’s hope of enjoying a bonus of VND1 billion for a win that the team’s managers hung prior to the match.

Defending champions Becamex Binh Duong, despite their home ground advantage, failed to make use of playing before their fans.

Sai Gon’s Trịnh Duy Long opened the score 15 minutes after the break with a straight shoot.

The host then equalized the score when captain Nguyen Anh Duc’s powerful kick found the net just four minutes later.

It was another unexpected result for champions Becamex Binh Duong after their sudden loss of 1-2 to Quang Nam last week.

Meanwhile, newcomer Sai Gon FC maintained the fourth position with only one point less than the top-three.

In another match, former winners Song Lam Nghe An buried 10-man Dong Thap in the bottom of the table, after their 3-0 win at Vinh Stadium yesterday.

Ho Khac Ngoc, Ouattara Baba S. Affoloh and Que Ngoc Hai scored one each for the host, who played with 10 players in the last 20 minutes when goalkeeper Pham Duc Anh was sent off.

It was Dong Thap’s 10th defeat after 11 rounds. They had only one win over Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the fourth round in March.

The team that was said to be one of the relegated candidates this season are five points less than their nearest rivals, Long An, who also suffered a loss of 1-3 to SHB Da Nang on Saturday.

At Hang Day Stadium, hosts Ha Noi T&T beat Quang Nam 3-0.

With one more goal in this match, Hoang Vu Samson proved his quality with nine goals, making him the best scorer in V.League, at present.

Earlier, Nguyen Quang Hai made it 2-0 before former striker Paris Saint Germain Loris Arnaud opened the score at the 37th minute.

In two other games on Saturday, Sanna Khanh Hoa trounced Hoang Anh Gia Lai 4-1 and Quang Ninh Coal beat Can Tho 2-1.

Clubs will have nearly four weeks off when players are summoned for the national squad and the U21 team later this month.

Matches will return on June 19 in stadiums throughout the country.

VNS