>>> V.League: Hanoi FC held to second consecutive draw on home field
>>> V.League: Song Lam Nghe An deprived of home win after stoppage-time penalty
Hanoi FC again deprived of victory due to last-gasp goal
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Hanoi FC (in blue) are now three points behind leaders Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VPF)
Reigning champions Hanoi FC saw their gap with title-race frontrunners HCM City widened to three points, as forward Van Toan scored in the last minute of stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw for Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
This is the second consecutive time manager Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side dropped their victory due to a last-gasp goal, following their 2-2 tie with bottom-place Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN in the previous matchday. The lack of concentration in the last minutes is something that Hanoi FC should seriously resolve if they don’t want to reap such regrettable results in the remaining stage of the title race.
Thanh Hoa FC’s 10-game unbeaten run halted
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Thanh Hoa FC (in red) suffer their first defeat in 11 V.League games. (Photo: VPF)
After a 10-game unbeaten run (six wins and four draws), Thanh Hoa FC were forced to concede an away 2-4 defeat against Nam Dinh FC. This is a surprising result, but it is undeniable that Nam Dinh have been displaying amazing form in their last few home-turf V.League matches. They previously downed reigning champions Hanoi FC and newly promoted Viettel before making Thanh Hoa their latest victims.
The convincing win against Vu Quang Bao’s side has lifted Nam Dinh FC to sixth place in the table, a ranking hardly anticipated by anyone at the beginning of the season, as the northern team were considered one of the candidates for a relegation spot.
Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN quench thirst for victory
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Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN players celebrate after the match. (Photo: VPF)
After many matchdays of consecutive losses, Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN tasted the full joy of victory on matchday 16 by narrowly overcoming former champions Becamex Binh Duong. Despite still not being enough to remove Khanh Hoa from bottom place, the 1-0 victory is of great significance in sparkling confidence and hopes inside manager Vo Dinh Tan and his players, especially as everything has seemed to develop out of their control.
By clinching four points after two games, Sanna Khanh Hoa have narrowed their gap with the penultimate team, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, by only three points.
HCM City solidify top spot after hard-fought win
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Chung Hae-seong's HCM City side continue to show their stable form in the V.League 2019. (Photo: VPF)
HCM City further consolidated their grip on top of the V.League table after a thrilling 3-2 triumph over SHB Da Nang. Chung Hae-seong’s troops demonstrated a never-say-die attitude throughout the match, coming from behind twice to win the game with goals from Cong Hien, Kesley and Mansaray.
The important victory has helped HCM City extend their gap with second-place Hanoi FC to three points, thus holding the upper hand and self-determination in the remaining stage of the 2019 title race.
Quang Ninh Coal extend unbeaten streak
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Quang Ninh Coal (in blue) have remained unbeaten in the last six league games. (Photo: VPF)
Quang Ninh Coal have increased their unbeaten streak to six games in a row after edging out newly promoted Viettel 1-0 to further solidify their third place in the table. In the context that second-place Hanoi FC are lavishly squandering their three-point opportunities, such stable form could help Phan Thanh Hung’s side catch up with and even surpass the capital team, with a fragile two-point gap currently existing between the two.
