Caique Venancio scored a first-half goal to help Truong Viet Hoang’s side tighten their grip on top of the table with 38 points, four clear of Saigon FC and five above reigning champions Hanoi FC who could narrow the gap after their encounter tomorrow.
The hosts dominated ball possession right from the start, with Van Hao threatening to score by placing a shot narrowly wide after just six minutes.
Brazilian forward duo Bruno Cantanhede and Caique Venancio played actively and produced constant threats to the Quang Ninh goal with two consecutive attempts in the 25th and 30th minutes.
In the 37th minute, Duong Van Hao burst down in the left wing and delivered a brilliant pass to Caique Venancio in the box, who left goalkeeper Tuan Linh flat-footed with a powerful shot toward the far corner.
It was not until the second half that Quang Ninh Coal created any concrete chances to score, which, however, were both wasted by Claudecir.
Meanwhile, Viettel’s backline performed solidly thanks to the presence of two national team members Que Ngoc Hai and Bui Tien Dung, keeping the 1-0 score unchanged until the final whistle.
With just one game left to go this season, Viettel will only need to bag a victory against Saigon FC on the last matchday (November 8) to settle for the overall crown.
In other Tuesday matches, Becamex Binh Duong trounced Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3-1 at home, while Ho Chi Minh City also broke past newbies Hong Linh Ha Tinh with the same score.
The penultimate round will conclude tomorrow with the much-anticipated clash between title holders Hanoi FC and second-placed Saigon FC.
