VietNamNet Bridge – Half way through the season, the V-League has produced several surprises, but the main one is that former champs and likely title contenders have not made their presence felt.


Song Lam Nghe An (Left). (Photo: VNN)
Song Lam Nghe An, who were not considered pre-season contenders, have delivered the most consistent and impressive performance to date and created a four-point gap between the second-place team and a strong title contender, SHB Da Nang.


What Nghe An have showed from the beginning of the season so far is that the top place they hold is no fluke. The team, which won the first title when V-League turned professional in 2001, have won 29 points, the highest that a team has had at half-time for the season in recent years.


A lack of stability in their defence and in the effectiveness of their strikers has left title contender and 2009 champion Da Nang struggling to stay on Nghe An's heels.


Among the top four, the performance of Dong Thap, who constantly worry about losing key players before each season, has been a revelation to all fans of game in the country, not just the club's keen followers.


The Mekong Delta-based team now ranks third on the table with 21 points, but they topped it for two weeks this season after the seventh and eighth rounds.


Another title contender and defending champion Ha Noi T&T have disappointed somewhat, standing nine points behind Nghe An and being eliminated from the Asian Confederation Cup in the group stages.


Ex-champs falter


Confounding all expectations, former two-time champions and pre-season contender Becamex Binh Duong has been the biggest disappointment this season, languishing in 11th place with only 15 points after 13 games.


Besides holding stars like Philani, Nguyen Vu Phong and Huynh Quang Thanh, the team made its title intentions clear by splurging hundred of thousands of dollars on new signings like Brazilian midfielder Leandro de Oliveira and Nigerian striker Joseph Obinna Nwafor.


Another former two-time champion, Dong Tam Long An, who won two V-League titles under Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto, is at the bottom of the 14-team table, the first time they find themselves in this position since their promotion to the top-flight championship eight years ago.


Hoang Anh Gia Lai, yet another former two-time champion, have also failed to impress, ending in eighth place with 15 points despite getting the season off to a good start.


Binh Duong's newly-appointed coach Dang Tran Chinh said mental attitude was the biggest problem for his players at the moment.


Second from bottom and First Division champions last year, Ha Noi ACB have so far shown they are out of their league, causing little trouble to other teams. The team from the capital city looks set to return to the First Division after just one season in the top-tier V-League.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News