Minh ousted from world top 10 in latest rankings

Top Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has dropped four places to 14th in the world badminton rankings, the sport's governing body has announced.

Olympian Minh now has 45,570 points. It is the first time in two years Minh has dropped out of the world top 10.

The Olympian has previously held the world No 5 spot in the rankings.

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia is the world No 1, followed by Chen Long of China and Jan Jorgensen of Denmark.

VN squad called up for Myanmar friendly match

Japanese coach Toshiya Miura has called up 24 players for the national team to prepare for a friendly with Myanmar on July 2 in Go Dau Stadium, Binh Duong Province.

The 51-year-old coach has included new faces Hoang Minh Tam and Vo Huy Toan of SHB Da Nang, Huy Cuong of Quang Ninh Coal and Que Ngoc Hai of Song Lam Nghe An.

Notably, Phuoc Tu, Trong Hoang, Van Hoan, Anh Duc and Tan Tai of Becamex Binh Duong were also named.

Coaches Mai Duc Chung, Dang Phuong Nam and Nguyen Van Phung will be Miura's assistants.

The team will convene next Wednesday.

An Giang in battle for survival

Hung Vuong An Giang hope to beat QNK Quang Nam today and narrow the gap on fellow relegation candidates Dong Tam Long An who face a daunting task against a strong SHB Da Nang on the same day.

An Giang, who have improved considerably in the second half of the season to score seven points in three matches, are five points behind Long An, but if they win and Long An lose this weekend, the relegation battle will become nail-biting.

The bottom team will go into a play-off with the third-placed team in the V-League 2, with the winner securing a place in the V-League next season.

At the top of the table, the title race too has become very close after Becamex Binh Duong beat leaders Ha Noi T&T last weekend to grab a share of the top spot. But Ha Noi have a game in hand.

Third-placed Thanh Hoa are only three points behind the two.

Binh Duong travel to Dong Nai on Sunday while defending champions T&T host mid-table Quang Ninh Coal.

Thanh Hoa take on ninth-placed Hoang Anh Gia Lai at home in what should not be a difficult game for them.

Hai Phong, who have lost their last four games and are placed 10th, could see their misery continue against fifth-placed Song Lam Nghe An.

The V-League 2 is also heading for the end of the season with the promotion candidates likely to be clearer after this weekends penultimate round of matches.

Leaders Dong Thap will return to the V-League after two years if they beat HCM City away today.

New boys Sanna Khanh Hoa, who are in the hunt to join Dong Thap as one of the two automatic promotees to the V-League, play third-placed Can Tho, who are just a point behind.

In other matches sixth-placed Dak Lak take on bottom team Tay Ninh, and Hue travel to Ha Noi, who are a point above them and still in the hunt for promotion.

VNS/VNN