Phuong becomes Binh Phuoc's technical director

Former captain of Viet Nam's national football team Nguyen Minh Phuong has become technical director of Binh Phuoc, a first-division football club.

Former captain of Viet Nam's national football team Nguyen Minh Phuong (right) has become technical director of Binh Phuoc, a first-division football club. — Photo baobinhphuoc.com.vn

Phuong's task is to help Binh Phuoc stay in the National First Division Football Tournament this year. He will also build and train junior teams to develop football in the southern Binh Phuoc Province in the future.

"With the co-operation of Phuong, we hope Binh Phuoc will make fast progress and earn a spot in the national premier league," Vo Quoc Thang, deputy director of Binh Phuoc department of culture, sports and tourism, said.

Phuong, 36, is a retired Vietnamese professional footballer who last played for SHB Da Nang in V.League 1.

In 2007, he captained the Vietnamese team in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, ending their run in the tournament in the quarter-finals.

An engine in the central midfield for both club and country, he is known for his technical passing and taking of kick-offs. He showed versatility by playing often as a fullback, midfielder or even as a forward.

In 2010, he became the most-capped Vietnamese footballer in the history of the national team with 73 caps, beating Le Huynh Duc's 66 caps. He retired from international football with eight years of experience in the national team after the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup.

Da Nang to welcome int'l regatta

Vietnamese sailor Nguyen Tran Minh An will team up with the Da Nang-Viet Nam team in the race from Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, Australia to Da Nang port during the world's longest ocean race, the Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race.

The central city's people's committee said in a press conference that Da Nang will host as a home team port on February 17-27.

"I'm very eager to race the biggest world race. It's a big honour for me and the city," An said in a press conference on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old sailor, who had completed pre-race tests in Australia in preparation, said the other competitors and their family members will receive warm welcomes from local people as well as beautiful food, pristine beaches, white sand, sun and smiles.

The local sailor, who works as a tug boat driver for Da Nang Port but has no previous ocean racing experience, will join the Da Nang-Viet Nam team for the 4,130 mile stretch from Australia to Da Nang.

This leg, the seventh of the 14-stage global series, starts on January 18 and will take almost a month to complete.

Vice director of the city's Culture, Sports and Tourism department, Tran Chi Cuong said the city will host various cultural festival, business and tourism promotions when Da Nang hosts the race in February.

Vice chairman of the city's people's committee, Dang Viet Dung said the city prepared for hosting the race by dredging the Han estuary.

"We created a smooth passage for all yachts going under the Thuan Phuoc suspension bridge," Dung said.

The 2015-16 race marks the first time in the Clipper Race's nineteen-year history that Da Nang is featured as a team and a host port on the race's global circuit.

The Clipper 2015-16 Race started in London in August and takes eleven months to complete. Its 40,000 mile circumnavigation is divided into shorter legs so crews can choose to take part in either the whole race or one or more legs.

Up to 24 crew members, aged 18 to over 70 of various nationalities and backgrounds, live together on board each of the fleet's twelve 70-foot racing yachts.

Clipper Race teams are currently making their way to Sydney after already completing stops in Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, and Albany, Western Australia. The race participants are expected to arrive in Da Nang city between February 17-21.

From Abell Point Marina, Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, the Clipper 70 fleet will race onto Da Nang, Viet Nam.

Khoa wins fourth stage of national cycling tournament

Nguyen Anh Khoa won the fourth stage of the Ben Tre Television Cup yesterday, Jan 14.

Representing HCM City's Mathnasium, Khoa finished the 180km race from Ca Mau City to Can Tho City with a time of 4:54.58.

Le Hoai Nam of BTV Binh Duong and Pham Phat Dat of Ben Tre were the runners-up.

Although Le Van Duan of VUS-HCM City 1 finished ninth, he retained the yellow jersey after four stages with a combined time of 14:19.28.

He also holds the green jersey for best sprinter with 79 points, followed by Do Tuan Anh of Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap with 51 points and Vo Phu Trung of Loc Troi Group with 39 points.

An Giang Plant Protection lead the team event, followed by VTV Can Tho and Ben Tre.

VNS