Defending champs held at home in Vietnam Super League

Song Lam Nghe An players (yellow) mark Nigerian striker Samson Kayode Olaleye of visitors Hanoi T&T in a Super League match in Vinh city Sunday.

Defending Vietnamese Super League champions Song Lam Nghe An were held 2-2 at home by Hanoi T&T in the third round Sunday.

Both teams played fast football from the start, and it was a see-saw contest.

Trinidad & Tobago striker Hector Hughtun Kerin took a Van Hoan throw and scored the opener for the hosts midway through the first half, but the visitors’ Nigerian striker Samson Kayode Olaleye canceled out that goal 10 minutes from halftime.

The two teams continued to battle on level terms through the second half before Cameroonian striker Bebbe Gustave Anicet’s scored SLNA's second goal with a header in the first minute of stoppage time.

SLNA fans were excited thinking a win was in the bag, but less than two minutes later winger Van Quyet snatched a point for the visitors by heading home from a Sy Cuong corner.

In other action, hosts Vicem Hai Phong were held 1-1 at Lach Tray Stadium by Dong Thap. Nigerian striker Felix Gbenga Ajala scored for the visitors two minutes before the break, but Jamaican striker Kavin Elroy Bryan scored the equalizer four minutes before the final whistle.

Ivory Coast striker Sanogo Moussa scored the opener for the visitors Vissai Ninh Binh 15 minutes after the break at Ho Chi Minh City's Thong Nhat Stadium.

Brazilian striker Ricardo Alves Pereira evened the score for hosts Navibank Saigon in the 84th minute before Moussa scored again to grab full points for Ninh Binh .

Earlier, on Saturday, hosts Thanh Hoa beat 2007-08 champs Becamex Binh Duong 2-1 at home.

Saigon FC earned a 2-0 away win over Kienlongbank Kien Giang. Hanoi FC and 2009 champs SHB Da Nang crushed visitors Khanh Hoa and 2003-04 champs Hoang Anh Gia Lai by an identical 4-1 score.

After three rounds, Da Nang are on top with seven points, followed by Hanoi T&T who are also on seven but with an inferior goal difference. Saigon FC, SLNA, and Thanh Hoa in third, fourth and fifth with five points each.

Thanh Nien News