ĐÀ NẴNG — Hosts SHB Đà Nẵng and Yokohama FC of Japan played out a goalless draw in an international friendly in the central city’s Hòa Xuân Stadium on Saturday.

The match was also a farewell to Đà Nẵng’s former coach Lê Huỳnh Đức and the debut of new coach Nguyễn Minh Phương.

SHB Đà Nẵng failed to hit top form after only two-weeks training under the new coach in preparation for the new season.

The hosts played the match to test their new foreign players Brandon McDonald of the US territory of Guam, Zeba Josip from Croatia and Brazilian Rosa Tardin Douglas and their domestic players after a long break.

With the game deadlocked at half time, Brazilian coach Edson Araujo Tavares of Yokohama sent on ace Ibba Laajab of Norway to seek a winner match, but the team failed to score.

Striker Ngọc Thắng came closest for Đà Nẵng with a header that skimmed the post in the second half.

SHB did well to repel Yokohama’s fierce attacks in the last minutes of the second half.

 Đà Nẵng’s people’s committee also honoured former SHB coach Lê Huỳnh Đức for his contribution to the team over the past 10 years.

Tavares, who coached Việt Nam team for two spells in 1996 and 2004, and Yokohama FC will keep training in Đà Nẵng till January 23 before flying back to Japan in preparation for the Japanese League 2.

The friendly was part of activities in celebration the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Việt Nam as well as Đà Nẵng and Japanese cities.  — VNS