VietNamNet Bridge - The 12th round of the V-League, Vietnam’s topflight football league, was marred by violence on the pitch with referees handing out 33 yellow cards and six red cards in seven games last weekend.

Only 19 goals were scored.

The worst incidents occurred in the match between Becamex Binh Duong and TDCS Dong Thap in which three red cards and six yellow cards were brandished but no goal was scored.

Fans have blamed referee Ngo Quoc Hung for failing to ensure a fair game, causing angry players to flare up and resort to violent play and protest against his decisions.

In the game between Navibank Saigon and SHB Da Nang that ended 3-3, referee Nguyen Van Quyet booked five players from the host team from Ho Chi Minh City and one from Da Nang.

Navibank coach Mai Duc Chung fumed: “It was Quyet’s unfair officiating that left my players stressed during the game.

Both fans and his players were unhappy with the refereeing, he said.

Quyet seemed to ignore an intentional foul when Navibank midfielder Tai Em raced into the box only to be tackled from behind by center back Hai Lam.

But the referee just waved to the players to carry on.

“Fans in stand A in Thong Nhat stadium have never thrown objects on the pitch to protest but they did it during this game,” Chung said.

“We have asked the Vietnam Football Federation not to assign Quyet to any more of our games,” he told Tuoi Tre.

However, the National Referees’ Council chairman Nguyen Van Mui said: “Whatever the mistake by the referee, it is unacceptable that Navibank Saigon stopped the game and staged angry protests against him.

“It is a clear violation.”

Source: Tuoi Tre