HÀ NỘI — Leader Hải Phòng maintained their top spot in the V.League after their 3-3 draw with Sài Gòn on away ground yesterday in HCM City.

With one more point from the match, Hải Phòng now has 34 points to lead for another week, though their gap from the nearest rival FLC Thanh Hóa has narrowed to five points.

On Saturday, Thanh Hóa beat Long An 1-0 to remain in second place.

Hải Phòng was said to be a stronger team, compared to Sài Gòn, who played in their first national premier league season.

However, they suffered a goal loss just five minutes into the games.

Additionally, newcomer Carlos Eduardo Dos Santos Lima easily tapped in from a close range to open the score for Sài Gòn.

The Brasilian player completed his double in the first half with a narrow angle shoot-out, which proved too difficult for goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm.

Đỗ Văn Thuận made HCM City fans fly high with his long kick near the interval, to make it 3-0. Things seemed perfect for the host before the nightmare began in the second half.

Lê Văn Thắng was to bring hope to the visitors with a straight shot to the far corner at the 56th mark.

Vương Quốc Trung and Andre Diego Fagan grabbed one goal each at the 67th and 79^th, to bring the match to the start.

There might have been even more goals for the visiting side if Fagan had not miss an easy shot later on.

In a match in Vinh City, two-time champions Sông Lam Nghệ An were defeated 2-1 by Sanna Khánh Hòa, although they opened the score at the 16th minute by Baba Salia.

The goal, however, woke up players from the visitors when Uche headed straight, two minutes after the break. He added another goal, when breaking into Sông Lam Nghệ An’s defence.

In Pleiku, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai found their first win after five winless matches.

The team of young players defeated title favourite Hà Nội T&T 1-0, in a match that saw referee Nguyễn Quốc Hùng deny his assistant’s decision to recognize Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy’s 50th-minute goal, in an off-side decision.

In Đà Nẵng, hosts SHB Đà Nẵng also did not have much to cheer about, with a 2-2 draw against Cần Thơ.

Also, in Bình Dương defending champions Becamex Bình Dương defeated Quảng Ninh Coal 1-0.

In Đồng Tháp, the bottom-place Đồng Tháp tied Quảng Nam 1-1. — VNS