Nghe An whip Dong Thap

It's a stretch: Nguyen Tien Dung (left) of Ha Noi T&T tries to stop Brazilian Evaldo Goncaves in their V-League clash in Ha Noi. — VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh

HA NOI – Jamaica's Devon Derron Hodges scored a hat trick to help Song Lam Nghe An demolish Dong Thap 6-2 and continue leading V-League after 19 matches.

His fellow countryman, Andre Diego Fagan struck twice, while Brazilian-born Nguyen Hoang Helio added a penalty goal to wrap up Nghe An's triumph at Vinh Stadium yesterday.

The win put the central team on top of V-League with 39 points, seven clear of runners-up Da Nang, who lost 2-1 yesterday to Ha Noi ACB 2-1.

Fagan opened scoring just nine minutes into the game when he controlled a quick freekick from Hodges and stunned Dong Thap keeper Bui Tan Truong with a close-range shot. Helio the netted the ball from a spot kick in the 31st minute.

Dong Thap strikers nearly failed to connect despite some clear opportunities in first half time. One minute from the break, Fagan helped Nghe An take a 4-0 lead.

Hodges then fixed his hat trick with two more goals in the 56th and 67th minutes.

Dong Thap pulled back two goals in the 82nd and 89th minute thanks to Nigerian strikers Samson Kayode and Felix Gbenga Ajala.

In an earlier match on Saturday, defending champions Ha Noi T&T also crushed two-time champs Hoang Anh Gia Lai 6-2 at Ha Noi's Hang Day Stadium to rank third in the table.

Dong Tam Long An was kept at the bottom after a 2-1 loss away to Binh Duong, while Khanh Hoa also dropped to second-to-last with a 1-0 defeat by Ninh Binh.

Hai Phong, which beat Thanh Hoa 2-1, climbed up to seventh place from their previous 11th, while Navibank Sai Gon took a 2-0 win over Hoa Phat Ha Noi at HCM City's Thong Nhat Stadium. — VNS