* Binh Dinh move into second place in the First Division after beating Kienlongbank KG 1-0 in the central coast city of Qui Nhon on Saturday, while Saigon Xuan Thanh beat TDC Binh Duong 1-0 at Thong Nhat Stadium on Friday.
Binh Dinh go second in First Division
By Vu Duc - The Saigon Times Daily
Hai Nam of Hoa Phat Hanoi (L) fights for the ball with Ntambi of Navibank Saigon during their V-League football match at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCMC on Sunday - Photo: Ba Chau HCMC – Song Lam Nghe An crushed Dong Thap 6-2 at Vinh Stadium on Sunday to consolidate top spot in the V-League-Eximbank, while Hanoi ACB earned an impressive 2-1 victory over second-placed SHB Danang at Hang Day Stadium.
Andre Fagan easily beat Dong Thap’s goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong to open the scoring in the ninth minute.
Devon Hodges went close to making it 2-0 in the 16th minute but a minute later he was on target with a neat header.
Midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang was felled by Truong in the penalty box and the referee pointed to the spot. Nguyen Hoang Helio made no mistake to make the half-time score 3-0.
Fagan scored his second just after the break and Hodges made it 5-0 with a super strike before he completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute.
Song Lam’s Tran Son Ha was sent off in the 82nd minute after deliberate handball in the penalty box and Samson Kayode pulled one back from the spot. Felix Gbenga Ajala also scored for the visitors in injury-time.
With the victory, leaders Song Lam have 39 points from 12 wins, three draws and four losses, seven points ahead of second-placed SHB Danang.
Hanoi T&T also thrashed Hoang Anh Gia Lai 6-2 in an earlier game on Saturday, climbing to third. Antonio Paivo Tavares hit a hat-trick, with Gonzalo Marronkle, Le Cong Vinh and Duy Nam also netting.
Evaldo and Nguyen Tang Tuan scored for Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
Meanwhile, Hanoi ACB escaped from the relegation area after the 2-1 win. Lucas Cantoro surprisingly gave Hanoi ACB a 14th minute opener as he beat the offside trap and then doubled his team’s lead by half-time. Danang’s Kalifa Dembele pulled a goal back from the spot.
Hanoi ACB move into 11th place with 22 points from 19 games, the same points as Ninh Binh, who beat Khatoco Khanh Hoa 1-0 at home. SHB Danang are still second with 32 points, just one ahead of Hanoi T&T.
In other matches, Navibank Saigon defeated Hoa Phat Hanoi 2-0 at Thong Nhat Stadium, Haiphong beat Thanh Hoa 2-1 at Lach Tray Stadium and Dong Tam Long An Tiles were defeated 2-1 by Becamex Binh Duong at Go Dau Stadium.
Round 19 results
V-League
Hanoi T&T 6 Hoang Anh 2
Navibank SG 2 Hoa Phat 0
Haiphong 2 Thanh Hoa 1
Song Lam 6 Dong Thap 2
Hanoi ACB 2 SHB Danang 1
Binh Duong 2 Dong Tam Tiles 1
Ninh Binh 1 Khanh Hoa 0
First Division
Saigon XT 1 TDC Binh Duong 0
Binh Dinh 1 Kienlongbank 0
Tay Ninh 4 Hanoi 2
Can Tho 1 Dong Nai 0
Quang Nam 1 Quang Ninh 1
HCMC 1 Nam Dinh 0
Huda Hue 4 An Giang 2
* Binh Dinh move into second place in the First Division after beating Kienlongbank KG 1-0 in the central coast city of Qui Nhon on Saturday, while Saigon Xuan Thanh beat TDC Binh Duong 1-0 at Thong Nhat Stadium on Friday.
With the win, Binh Dinh snatch second place from Kienlongbank KG. Binh Dinh now have 32 points from 19 games, two points ahead of Kienlongbank.
Saigon XT moved closer to the title after 13 victories and six draws. They now have 45 points and need three more wins to get their hands on the silverware.
Huda Hue defeated An Giang 4-2 at Tu Do Stadium. With the victory, Huda Hue are still bottom with 12 points from 19 games, five points behind 14th-placed Nam Dinh, who lost 1-0 to HCMC. Quang Nam tied 1-1 with Quang Ninh Coal.
In other matches, Tay Ninh defeated Hanoi 4-2 at home and Can Tho beat Dong Nai 1-0 at home.