Four second half goals helped Hanoi FC to beat Ho Chi Minh City 4-1 in their V.League match at Thong Nhat Stadium on May 6, thereby consolidating their reign on top of the provisional table with 17 points, whilst taking their impressive unbeaten V.League run to seven games.

Hanoi FC's striker Oseni celebrates his goal against HCM City. 

HCM City promptly took an early lead thanks to Hai Anh’s opener after 10 minutes, but they failed to build on that advantage to seal the full three points on their home turf, as Hanoi netted four times in the second half to make a spectacular recovery.

Especially, Nigerian striker Oseni bagged a double in the match to solidify his lead in the race for the 2018 season’s top scorer title with ten goals.

Despite heading into Sunday’s fixture as the underdogs, HCM City completed the first 45 minutes in an amazing fashion. The southern team produced the first opportunity of the game, as Tavares forced Hanoi keeper Van Cong to make a smart save with a shot on target after five minutes.

Manager Toshiya Miura’s side only needed another five minutes to materialise their attempts, with Hai Anh firing the opener to secure HCM City a 1-0 lead before the interval.

After a slow start, Hanoi FC rediscovered their rhythm in the second half and it took just eight minutes for the guests to restore parity thanks to Hung Dung’s equaliser, before Van Quyet reversed the situation by making it 2-1 following an assist from Quang Hai.

Oseni failed to convert Quang Hai’s pass in the 68th minute, but quickly redeemed himself two minutes later by scoring the third goal for Hanoi FC from a rebound. That was the ninth goal scored by the Nigerian striker.

Hanoi’s rally only stopped in the 86th minute, as Oseni took advantage of HCM City’s defensive lapse, sneaking past goalkeeper Thanh Diep and firing a shot into the empty net to seal a resounding 4-1 triumph for manager Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side, whilst extending his tally for the season to ten goals, which keeps him in front, and six goals clear of the runner-up Patiyo Tambwe of XSKT Can Tho, in the top scorer race.

With three additional away points, Hanoi FC are now sitting firmly atop the provisional table with 17 points, three points clear of second-placed Quang Ninh Coal and five points ahead of Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN in third place.

XSKT Can Tho and Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN recorded respective 1-1 draws against Quang Ninh Coal and Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the remaining two seventh-round matches on the same day.

Nhan Dan