Vinh scores fastest V.League 1 goal

Le Cong Vinh marked his return to the main team of Becamex Binh Duong with a goal just seven seconds into the match against Hai Phong in the V.League 1 round 11 yesterday.

Vinh's goal was the fastest ever in the national premier league.

Vinh was dumped on the bench most of the time with Binh Duong, which were managed by experienced Le Thuy Hai.

The Nghe An Province-born striker did not win Hai's heart and was given few chances to play, although he was one of the highest-paid players in Viet Nam.

Under Hai's reign, Vinh played only six matches - and only two of them from the beginning.

His total playing time of 259 minutes compares with 1,762 minutes in total for Song Lam Nghe An last season.

Hai resigned last week and Vinh immediately become a hero.

Vinh received a ball from his teammate's first kick from the central area. He broke Hai Phong's defence before it could gain strength.

His second goal of the tournament was a positive sign for him as national coach Toshyia Miura who was on the stand looking for players.

Hai Phong fought for an equaliser, but their attempts failed – and Binh Duong scored again.

Cheikh Abass Dieng defeated goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Thang for the second time with a straight kick to the left corner in the end of the first half.

Dang Khanh Lam narrowed the result for the visitors with a tap-in in the 69th minute after consecutive attacks.

However substitute Nguyen Tang Tuan finalised the score from a narrow angle just one minute on the field at the 74th minute.

The win keeps Binh Duong on the top of the table with 25 points after 11 rounds. The gap between them and the three chasing teams grew to four points.

Hai Phong are in fifth position with 19 points. Their young midfielder Vu Ngoc Thinh received a second yellow card and will be banned next round.

V.League 1 players will have no time to enjoy the national re-unification vacation as the next round will start on May 1.

Former champions Ha Noi T&T will play hosts Dong Thap on Friday.

Binh Duong will travel to Nha Trang to face Sanna Khanh Hoa. SHB Da Nang will host third-placed Quang Ninh Coal - and Dong Tam Long An will welcome Hai Phong. All matches are on Saturday.

Former winners Song Lam Nghe An will play Dong Nai. Hoang Anh Gia Lai have a chance to improve their ranking when entertaining Quang Nam on home soil. Outstanding Thanh Hoa will be visitors to Can Tho on Sunday.

Miura prepares long list of probables

Coach Toshyia Miura has announced a list of 30 U23 players who would train for the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in June.

The Japanese coach has called five goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders and nine strikers.

Miura reportedly appreciated the skills of the young players of Hoang Anh Gia Lai, as he has selected seven members of this V.League 1 side.

Song Lam Nghe An will send six players. Among them, Miura was interested in striker Nguyen Phi Son who, he said, had good speed, a skilful technique and could explode in time for goals.

Miura said Son was really a potential player of Viet Nam.

Some players who performed well at the Asian Games last year and maintained their peak performance at the domestic tournament, such as Mac Hong Quan (Quang Ninh), Nguyen Huy Hung (Quang Nam) and Vo Huy Toan (SHB Da Nang), also have been selected.

The players will start training on May 5, and will have a friendly international match with South Korea on May 9.

Miura's list will be shortened to 20 before the team leaves for Singapore.

Viet Nam will first play Brunei in Group B at the SEA Games on May 29.

Organisation of Asian Beach Games in Vietnam discussed

The organisation of the fifth Asian Beach was at the centre of a meeting between the General Department of Sports and Physical Training and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on April 27 in Hanoi.

In the meeting , the two sides agreed on preparation works, promotional costs and the IT supplier for the event. Most importantly, they narrowed down the list of sports to be competed at the Games, including surfing, sailing, a dragon boat race and a jet ski race. The Games will also take in some new sports, such as beach petanque and beach body building.

The biannual event, which will be held next year in Nha Trang city in the southern central province of Khanh Hoa, features long-distance swimming and water polo as its principal water sports, and Pencak Silat, Vovinam, wrestling, Sambo, Jujitsu, Kurash and Muay Thai as its beach martial arts.

Wei Jizhong, Honourary Vice President of the OCA, spoke highly of Vietnam’s preparations for the Games and promised that all Vietnam’s recommendations will be collected to submit to the Council.-

Tam claims stage win, Tai still on top

National team member Nguyen Thanh Tam won the 16th stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Cup yesterday.

Tam, of Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang, passed Le Ngoc Son, of Domesco Dong Thap, in the last few metres, speeding up to end the 128km in 3hr 57.43min.

Tran Le Minh Tuan, of Military Zone 7, came in third.

Crossing the finish line 41sec after the first bunch, Nguyen Truong Tai of VUS-HCM City maintains his top position with a total time of 44:09.03.

He was followed by Ho Van Phuc, of ADC-Vinh Long Television, and Nguyen Hoang Giang, of Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang.

In team rankings, Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang continues its stay on top, with a cumulative 130:25.19. Military Zone 7 is in second and Domescot Dong Thap is third.

The cyclists will race 10 laps around Ho Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat for a 51km leg.