HÀ NỘI — Hải Phòng tied with Thanh Hóa 1-1 in the 22nd round of the V.League 1 at Lạch Tray Stadium yesterday.

The two sides went on the attack from the first minute of the first half but no goals were scored.

After the break, Hoàng Đình Tùng opened the score for the visitors in the 54th minute after receiving a pass from Emanuel Sunday.

The hosts Hải Phòng had the chance to level the score with a penalty in the 59th minute, however, striker Errol Stevens who has just returned after suspension, couldn’t beat Thanh Hóa’s goal keeper.

In the 66th minute, Lê Văn Thắng, who was former player for Thanh Hóa, equalised for Hải Phòng.

After that, the hosts attacked continuously on the hunt for more goals but failed.

With this draw, the gap between Hải Phòng and runners-up remains at one point. The team still take the lead with 41 points, while Đà Nẵng and Quảng Ninh Coal are second and third with 40 points each.

Meanwhile, Thanh Hóa sit in fifth with 35 points.

In other news, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai manage to stay in the national premier league after they beat Sanna Khánh Hòa 2-1 at Pleiku Stadium. At present, they rank 12th with 27 points, slightly above second bottom-placed Long An who have 18 points.

In this year’s football season, besides the bottom-placed team having to play in the First Division, the second bottom-placed team will also have to face the representative of the First Division team to earn a ticket to stay in the V.League.

Elsewhere, Đồng Tháp tied with Sông Lam Nghệ An 2-2, Quảng Nam lost to Hà Nội T&T 0-1, Đà Nẵng crushed Long An 4-1, Cần Thơ were defeated by Quảng Ninh Coal 0-2 and Becamex Bình Dương bested Sài Gòn FC 2-0. — VNS