HÀ NỘI -- Suleiman Abdullahi scored a double in Quảng Nam FC’s 2-0 win over FLC Thanh Hóa to prove that his team was always a tough rival when they played on home turf.

The win yesterday in the V.League’s fifth round was a blow to Thanh Hóa, who was one of the title favourites this year, after their huge investment at the beginning of the season.

Against the outstanding Quảng Nam, Thanh Hóa could not carry out their plan, confusing to work on prepared tactics. Their defenders could not find a voice with each other, providing an open way for Abdullahi, who opened the score with a header at the 15th minute.

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc asked his players to slow the pace of the match, focusing on counter-attacks to defend their lead.

Thanh Hóa made several changes in the second half, but could not break through Quảng Nam’s defence. They, however, suffered a second goal when Abdullahi tapped in the ball in front of the penalty box near the end of the game.

It was Quảng Nam’s first win this season, which pushed them to 10th position.

While Thanh Hóa, who bagged their first loss, were down to third place and failed to maintain their gap with the leading team, Hải Phòng grabbed a big 4-2 victory over Hoàng Anh Gia Lai at their Lạch Tray Stadium.

Hải Phòng stood firmly on top, with their fifth win in a row yesterday.

Errol Anthony Stevens scored a hat trick after Lê Xuân Hùng opened the scoring at the 20th minute.

Hoàng Anh Gia Lai’s Moreira Osmar Francisco pocketed a double and missed other opportunities to lift him to the list of top scorers.

Hoàng Anh Gia Lai will return to his home city to host Cần Thơ next round. It is predicted to become another difficult match for the young team. In the 2015 season, they lost 1-3 in the first leg match and tied 1-1 in the second.

At Vinh Stadium, foreign talent helped Sông Lam Nghệ An in Sài Gòn FC’s first match under their new name.

Odat Onoriode Marshal scored the only goal of the match at the 30th minute after his break in, leaving behind several defenders from Sài Gòn, previously Hà Nội FC.

The visitors started with their strongest players, in a bid a view to jump to a good start, but all of them could not convert their chances into a single goal.

The second win lifted the former champions to the sixth position, while Sài Gòn was at seventh.

The defending champions made history when, for the first time in history, they defeated Hà Nội T&T at Hàng Đẫy Stadium, winning 2-1 in a match which was marked as ’Super Sunday’.
All goals were netted in the second half, when the visitors went ahead just five minutes after the interval due to Oloya Moses’s scoring, his first goal in the V.League.

Nsi Amogou Jose, another foreigner, doubled the score at the 66th minute.

Hà Nội T&T rose up strongly after two goals, and they narrowed the score with a goal by Victor, whose 25m shot rocketed to the net.

The hosts nearly had an equal result, if Nguyễn Quang Hải’s free kicked had not hit the pole.

Elsewhere, Sanna Khánh Hòa beat Long An 2-0 on their home turf; SHB Đà Nẵng jumped to second place with a 1-0 win over Quảng Ninh Coal and Cần Thơ trounced Đồng Tháp 4-1. -- VNS