HÀ NỘI — Vũ Minh Tuấn scored a double to help Quảng Ninh Coal beat Sông Lam Nghệ An 2-1 in a V.League match in the sixth round yesterday.

As the hosts, Quảng Ninh Coal were considered to have a better chance to win, than did their rivals, who have delivered a poor performance in recent seasons.

However, it was the visitors who played better at the beginning of the match.

Their defence was thick and operated in strict discipline, as they broke all Quảng Ninh’s attempts from the central area.

The former champions nearly opened the score in the first half when Hoàng Văn Khánh and Lê Thế Cường were in the box, but neither was successful.

The turning point came just five minutes after the interval.

Phạm Xuân Mạnh had his hand touch the ball and Quảng Ninh received the penalty kick.

From the spot, national striker Tuấn, who just returned from an injury, easily scored.

Ten minutes later, he displayed an outstanding volley to defeat goalkeeper Trần Nguyên Mạnh, bringing the score to 2-0 for the hosts.

Sông Lam Nghệ An’s Hồ Khắc Ngọc also narrowed the score with a straight shot at the 62nd.

“As you can see, our playing style was strongly affected in those rounds that Tuấn was sidelined, leading to unexpected results. Now he is back and it is different,” said coach Phan Thanh Hùng of Quảng Ninh Coal.

 “The two goals that he scored in this match are worthy bonuses for what he has done. I hope he could maintain this high performance and contribute more to our team,” Hùng added.

With three points from their third win, Quảng Ninh Coal jumped to No 6 in the ranking, while Sông Lam Nghệ An fell to No 12, closing to the SOS area.

In the next round, Quảng Ninh will host Sài Gòn, while Sông Lam Nghệ An will welcome SHB Đà Nẵng.

In another match, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai had their second win after beating former champions Becamex Bình Dương 1-0 on away ground at Gò Đậu Stadium.

Meanwhile, national defender Vũ Văn Thanh scored the only goal at two minutes before the end of the match.

Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy broke in to Becamex Bình Dương’s area and kicked a smart pass to Thanh, whose close shot found the net.

The win lifted the team four positions to No 9 with seven points. Becamex Bình Dương is at 10th place.

In the last match of the round, HCM City beat Long An 5-2 in a match that was delayed for 10 minutes as the visitors stopped playing to protest referee Nguyễn Trọng Thư’s decision issuing a second penalty to HCM City near the 79th minute.

It was 2-2 at that time.

When players returned to the field, Long An goalkeeper Nguyễn Minh Nhựt turned his back and did not catch the penalty kick from Victor.

The players continued to stand on the field and did nothing, while HCM City netted two more goals.

Long An President Võ Thành Nhiệm was angry and disappointed, saying that referee Thư tried to let HCM City win.  

He said Thư was a FIFA referee, but made simple mistakes. It was not because of his level, but there was a (bribery) problem, he added.

Nhiệm said he would ask for the participation of police and confirmed that he would not participate in football if such problems remained. — VNS