VietNamNet Bridge – Song Lam Nghe An's goalkeeper, Nguyen Huynh Quoc Cuong, set a new record by keeping his net empty for 770 minutes during 26 V-League matches, according to Viet Nam Football Federation statistics.

Defence: Song Lam Nghe An goalkeeper Nguyen Huynh Quoc Cuong watches the ball in a V-League match. He set a new record by denying goals for 770 minutes. — File Photo

Cuong, born in southern Long An Province, struggled to attain form at First Division Long An until donning the Ninh Binh jersey in 2009.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper was subsequently recruited by Song Lam Nghe An only two days before the team left for a two-week training session in preparation for the national championship.

Cuong helped Song Lam Nghe An win the V-League title last month.

The central team, which had twice failed to fill its net successfully, inked a two-year contract with the Long An goalkeeper, who is expected to remain with the team until next year.

Cuong, at 1.82m in height, went on to become the team's first choice for most of its V-League matches this year, together with Nghe An's defenders, conceding only 29 goals.

The goalie suffered his first defeat in a long time when missing a save in the 10th minute of a match against Binh Duong, which Nghe An won by 4-1, on March 27.

He managed to keep the net empty until the 60th minute in a match against Hai Phong on May 29, which Nghe An went on to lose by 1-0.

In 2001, Phu Yen-born goalkeeper Vo Van Hanh, playing for Nghe An, won the Golden Ball award for the best footballer of the year, while in 2008, Nghe An-born Duong Hong Son became only the second goalie to win the Golden Ball.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News