Football

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội FC easily beat SHB Đà Nẵng 5-2 in the 15^th round of V.League 1 on Saturday at Hàng Đẫy Stadium in Hà Nội.

The win extends the team from the capital’s lead to 13 points over second-placed Quảng Ninh Coal, the biggest gap ever in the national premier league’s history after 15 rounds.

Following a heavy loss 5-2 against Sài Gòn FC at Thống Nhất Stadium in HCM City in the last round, Hà Nội FC returned home determined to rediscover.

The hosts were in control from the kick-off, but Nguyễn Việt Thắng scored a header against the run of play to give Đà Nẵng the lead in the ninth minute.

That lead was cancelled out in the 24^th minute thanks to Ngân Văn Đại, but Đà Nẵng replied immediately through midfielder Ewode Epassi Louis Christian.

Just one minute later, Hanoian Đại coolly placed his header to restore the parity.

National U23 star midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải then gave Hà Nội the lead in the 31st minute.

After the break, Vietnamese naturalised player Hoàng Vũ Samson, who has played for Thai League 1 side Buriram United, proved his mettle by scoring two more goals to finish the match off for the league leaders.

In other matches, Nam Định FC beat HCM City 2-1 to move to 13^th place, while HCM City slid to the bottom.

The future of coach Toshiya Miura of HCM City is uncertainly after his team failed to win in 11 matches.

Miura was manager of both the national and U23 squads from 2014-16. However, he was fired before his contract expired due to poor results. The 54-year-old Japanese coach signed a two-year contract with HCM City with the aim of leading HCM City to third place this season.

Elsewhere, Sông Lam Nghệ An beat Cần Thơ 1-0. — VNS