Five talking points from Matchday 5 of V.League 2020

>>> V.League: Song Lam Nghe An defeat Hanoi FC to claim top spot

>>> Cong Phuong on scoresheet as HCM City take down Viettel 3-0

Here following are the five talking points from the latest V.League action.

1. Hanoi FC’s 33-game unbeaten home run in V.League halted

Song Lam Nghe An (in yellow) have put an end to Hanoi FC's 33-game unbeaten home run in V.League.

Hanoi FC had been unbeaten for 33 consecutive V.League matches at home since July 2017 (27 wins and six draws) until they lost 0-1 to Song Lam Nghe An on June 18. Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side scored a total of 105 goals and only conceded 30 throughout these 33 games.

The unexpected defeat on Thursday has pushed the defending champions to seventh place in the table with just seven points, four adrift of leaders Song Lam Nghe An.

2. Thanh Hoa FC taste first win in V.League 2020

Thanh Hoa FC manager Nguyen Thanh Cong (L) celebrates with his assistant after his side claim their first win of the 2020 V.League season.

A solitary goal by Van Thang (18’) helped Thanh Hoa FC to emerge as the 1-0 victors against Nam Dinh FC on Thursday, which is their inaugural win in this year’s V.League season.

Notably, this is the second consecutive match in which Thanh Hoa were undefeated under the dynasty of new manager Nguyen Thanh Cong, who replaced the predecessor Fabio Lopez from the fourth matchday.

The victory has lifted Thanh Hoa FC two places clear of bottom, and will certainly give a strong boost to their confidence in the remainder of the 2020 V.League campaign.

3. Viettel concede first defeat of the season

After a fabulous start to the season (two wins and two draws), Viettel FC suffered their first defeat in V.League 2020 on Thursday, conceding three unanswered goals against 2019 runners-up Ho Chi Minh City.

The defeat brought Truong Viet Hoang’s side from second to fifth place in the table three points behind the title race leaders.

4. Song Lam Nghe An retain a clean sheet

Song Lam Nghe An players celebrate their victory.

Song Lam Nghe An have cruised to the top spot of the V.League standings with one point clear following their 1-0 away triumph against title holders Hanoi FC, which marks the first time the central team left Hang Day Stadium with the full three points in eight years.

After five matchdays, the display of Ngo Quang Truong’s troops is very respectable as they are the only team to remain unbeaten (three wins and two draws) and to have kept a clean sheet since the beginning of the season. This can be seen as the best league start for Song Lam Nghe An in recent years.

5. A matchday of away teams

Matchday 5 deserves to be called a matchday of away teams, as up to five of the seven visitors returned home with points, and only two returned empty-handed.

Three away teams bagged the full three points, including Becamex Binh Duong, Song Lam Nghe An and Quang Ninh Coal, while two played out draws with the hosts, namely Saigon FC and SHB Da Nang.