Football

HÀ NỘI – SHB Đà Nẵng aims to beat Quảng Ninh Coal in the 15th round of V.League 1 today.

“Every match for Đà Nẵng in the national premier league is a final. To have a good result, we must beat our rival,” said coach Lê Huỳnh Đức.

At present, with eight wins, three draws and three losses, Đà Nẵng ranks second out of 14 teams with 27 points. They trail the first-place team Hải Phòng by only five points. The chance to win this year’s football season is coming near but they are not thinking about that yet.

“We haven’t thought about the title. The most important thing for us is to muster our strength for each match. The league has more 12 rounds, so our present achievements don’t say anything,” Đức added.

In the coming match, Đà Nẵng have the return of Nguyễn Vũ Phong and Võ Huy Toàn who have both recovered from injury. The team has also signed a contract with striker Teofilo Soares Eydison of Brazil who will play with Argentina’s Gaston Merlo in the attack line. Merlo won the award of the V.League’s best scorer in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Meanwhile, Quảng Ninh stand at fifth place with 23 points. They have the ambition of taking this year’s title so they will take full advantage of playing on their home turf, Cẩm Phả Stadium, to rise up the ranks.

If Quảng Ninh beat Đà Nẵng, they will rank in the top three.

In other news, Sài Gòn FC are ready for the match against Sông Lam Nghệ An (SLNA) tomorrow.

Sài Gòn FC made a big surprise when they tied 3-3 with Quảng Nam in the 14th round. This result not only gained the team one point but the team was also awarded VNĐ300 million by the team’s leaders.

According to coach Nguyễn Đức Thắng, their key players Nguyễn Quốc Long and Trịnh Duy Long, who didn’t play in the game with Quảng Nam, will be present at this match. Long has scored six goals in the V.League this year.

“It will be a very difficult match for us because SLNA have many good domestic and foreign footballers, however, we are ready for the match,” said club chairman Nguyễn Giang Đông.

After 14 rounds, Sài Gòn have 20 points to rank ninth, while SLNA rank 11th with 18 points.

Around 8,000 fans of SLNA will come to HCM City’s Thống Nhất Stadium to encourage the team.

In other matches today, Long An will meet Sanna Khánh Hòa and Bình Dương face Hà Nội T&T.

Tomorrow, Đồng Tháp play Cần Thơ, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai fight Hải Phòng and FLC Thanh Hóa meet Quảng Nam. — VNS

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Hà Nội T&T win double awards in May and June

HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội T&T achieved a double award for the best coach and the best player in May and June, the V.League 1’s organisers announced yesterday.

Nigeria’s Hoàng Vũ Samson won the award of best player. He scored five goals in two months to make a great contribution to his club.

While Chu Đình Nghiêm won the award for best coach. Under the guidance of Nghiêm, Hà Nội T&T have won five matches in these months to rank in the top five of the league.

The best club of month award belonged to Quảng Ninh Coal. — VNS