Football 

Nguyễn Đăng Dương  (right) celebrates after scoring a goal during the match between Thể Công-Viettel and PVF of the National U21 Football Championship's Group A. Thể Công win 3-1. — Photo anninhthudo.vn

HÀ NỘI — Thể Công Viettel and Hà Nội enjoyed their victories in the first matches of the National U21 Football Championship's group round held in Hưng Yên Province's PVF Football Training Centre.

In the Group A opener, Thể Công came from behind to beat host PVF 3-1.

Trần Vũ Ngọc Tài scored for PVF just four minutes into the game when he was in a face to face situation with Thể Công goalkeeper Đoàn Huy Hoàng.

The soldiers found back strongly and about 20 minutes later national midfielder Khuất Văn Khang levelled the score after he left all PVF's defenders and goalkeeper behind to send the ball home.

In the additional time of the first half, Nguyễn Đăng Dương made all PVF's supporters quiet with his rocket fire to straight to the net.

It seemed that more than 10 minutes rest was not enough for the hosts to find a solution  against in-form Thể Công athough they opened more and stronger attacks in the second half.

All of their attempts were denied by keeper Hoàng and went wide.

Again, in the additional time Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn beat keeper Nguyễn Minh Kha to make it 3-1 for Thể Công.

In the second match of the group, LPBank Hoàng Anh Gia Lai defeated HCM City 2-0.

In B, Hà Nội showed their higher level compared to Lâm Đồng setting their domination from early time.

They met no difficulty to lead 3-0 in the first half and scored another hattrict in the second. Among the scorers, Nguyễn Đắc Vinh and Nguyễn Văn Trường secured a double each.

Their strong defence suffered only one goal from their rival after a personal mistake in the additional time. 

Later, SHB Đà Nẵng won 2-0 over Đồng Tháp with two goals in the first half by Phi Hoàng and Anh Toàn.

In Group C, both two matches ended in draw results. Đông Á Thanh Hóa tied Quảng Nam 2-2 and Bình Phước shared points with Long An in a 1-1 match. — VNS