New club Saigon FC climbs to second

Saigon FC’s Huynh Kesley Alves (R) celebrates his opener with Antonio Carlos in a match against Da Nang at Thong Nhat Stadium Sunday.

Saigon FC climbed one position to second in the country’s top-flight Super League after a 2-1 fifth round home win over Da Nang at Thong Nhat Stadium Sunday.

Le Huynh Duc, the coach of 2009 champions Da Nang, who won the “month’s best coach” title last month, badly wanted a win on the trip to his hometown Ho Chi Minh City.

However, the hosts with two draws and two wins from the first four rounds of the season were in high spirits and had better control of the match with two goals in the first half.

The visitors from Da Nang City came alive after the break but all they could do was pull back only one goal.

In other action, the Mekong Delta side Dong Thap earned a 3-1 home win over Navibank Saigon at Cao Lanh Stadium while hosts Khanh Hoa beat visitors Kien Giang 1-0 at Nha Trang Stadium.

In early matches on Saturday, 2010 champs Hanoi T&T beat Thanh Hoa 3-2 at Hang Day Stadium to retain their first-place position while 2003-04 champs Hoang Anh Gia Lai defeated Hanoi FC 2-1 at Pleiku Stadium.

Ninh Binh beat Hai Phong 2-0 at home and then Binh Duong, the 2007-08 champs, fought to a goalless tie with reigning champs Song Lam Nghe An at Go Dau Stadium.

With only two draws from the five rounds, Hai Phong is now at the bottom of the 14-club league with just two points.

By Thanh Nien News

Top Vietnam football tournament to be called V-League again

The above logo will not be used for the country's top-flight football tournament from this weekend onwards. It will revert to its old name, V-League.

Vietnam's top-flight football tournament will revert to its original name V-League from this weekend onwards, when the 2012 season enters the fifth round.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tuesday asked the league organizing company, VPF, to effect the change in name from the current Super League back to V-League.

VFF made the decision after it was asked by the General Department of Physical Training and Sports to do so.

The department said it is important that the nation's top tournament indicates the name of the country.

VPF was mooted by leading national football clubs late last year. They criticized VFF for poor management of the country’s leagues and called for a revamp. Once the VPF was etablished with the VFF as a major shareholder, the company named the nation's leading tournament Super League. The earlier name, V-League, was used when the country’s top contests turned professional in 2000.

The name Super League was used in the first four rounds of the 2012 season; and from the fifth round this weekend, it will be called the V-League Eximbank 2012, named after its main sponsor.

VPF chairman Vo Quoc Thang said, “VPF is willing to listen to opinions from authorized agencies, the media and the fans so that the organization of the league gets better and better. Changing the name is not complicated but we need to get opinions from the Board of Directors.”

Nguyen Hong Thanh, General Director of the Song Lam Nghe An football club, the league champions, said a change in the name of the league in the middle of the season will cause losses of money and time for the clubs as well as the stadiums’ organizers because many things like billboards, players’ shirts and tickets will have to be redone.

By Thanh Nien News

VN Super League seeks new name

HCM CITY — Viet Nam's top flight football championships will have to amend its new name to reflect the championships' origin, according to the National Administration of Sports and Physical Training.

The league goes into the this season with its new name of Super League Eximbank 2012 as a result of negotiations between the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) and clubs.

The Viet Nam Professional Football (VPF) company was also established to manage the competition.

However, the administration said that the name did not reflect the origin of the championships.

"The name of the national football championships must be in Vietnamese and the abbreviation must have the letter V and the name of the sponsor, such as V-League Eximbank 2012," the department said in a document sent to the VFF.

The adminstration also asked the VFF and the VPF to coordinate and run the football championships, including improving the quality of referees and eliminating dirty play.

Fourth round

Second-placed Ha Noi T&T have a good chance to go to the top of the Super League this weekend when they take on Kien Giang on home soil, as the leader SHB Da Nang will have a tough game.

The full points are within Ha Noi-based team's reach considering their home advantage and quality over the visitors, who is one of the contenders for relegation, in the game tomorrow.

Meanwhile, SHB Da Nang, who are leading the table courtesy of a superior goal difference over Ha Noi T&T, will face their first real challenge under the name of defending champions and third-placed Song Lam Nghe An.

This is even more interesting as the game is a mental game between two of the most talented young coaches, who are the first generation of footballers when the country integrated into the regional football.

Another noticeable game is that between two hungry-looking sides, Becamex Binh Duong and Ha Noi FC, who are both on the second half of the table with only three points.

Home team Binh Duong are favourites to win full points and improve their ranking as Ha Noi will extend their poor run.

Dong Thap and Khanh Hoa will fight in the fourth game tomorrow to climb up on the table.

Three games today are Hoang Anh Gia Lai vs Navibank Sai Gon; Ninh Binh vs Thanh Hoa; and Sai Gon FC vs Hai Phong.

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Premier League club Everton eyes Vietnamese forward

England’s Premier League club Everton has shown interest in Vietnamese striker Le Cong Vinh, the club's representative has said.

Steve Darby, who is Vietnam’s former national female football team coach, was a spectator at the Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium to watch Vinh play in Hanoi FC’s game against Khatoco Khanh Hoa in the third round of the country’s top-flight Super League on Saturday.

His club beat visitors Khanh Hoa 4-1 but the 26-year-old Vinh did not make a significant contribution to the home win.

Vinh, whose late header earned Vietnam the ASEAN Football Federation championship in 2008, moved from Song Lam Nghe An to Hanoi T&T in 2009.

He was introduced by Vietnam’s then national men’s football coach Henrique Calisto to Portugal’s top-flight Liga Sagres club Leixoes when the 2009 V-League (currently called Super League) season ended.

However, Vinh did not play very well for Leixoes and returned to play the 2010 V-League season for Hanoi T&T, who won the league championship that year without Vinh’s contributing much.

Vinh moved from Hanoi T&T to Hanoi FC at the end of the 2011 season.

By Son Tung, Thanh Nien News

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

Ha Noi club taste first win in Super League season

Breaking a drought: Xuan Luan of Ha Noi FC (right) vies for the ball against Huu Phat of Khanh Hoa in their Super League clash at Ha Noi's Hang Day Stadium. Ha Noi won 4-1. – VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Truong

Nigerian striker Anjembe Timothy scored twice from the penalty spot and Dinh Thanh Trung added two more goals to help Ha Noi FC crush Khanh Hoa 4-1 in the Super League on Saturday.

It's the first win for the Hanoian team since the season kicked off two weeks ago.

The team also had the services of top striker Le Cong Vinh who played an important part in the second goal before a two week break for Tet.

Hosting the match at Hang Day Stadium, Ha Noi FC's offensive play encountered a deep and crowded Khanh Hoa defence who frustrated the home team's strikers.

Ha Noi failed to make any serious threat on the Khanh Hoa goal until the 41st minute when Timothy netted from a spot kick.

The goal helped break the deadlock and they added one more before half time.

Newly contracted striker Vinh, who has recently recovered from a knee injury, set up teammate Trung just before the break.

Vinh missed a great opportunity to make it 3-0 in the first minute of the second half, heading Pham Thanh Luong's cross over the bar.

In the 62nd minute, Brazilian Agostinho pulled a goal back for Khanh Hoa with a powerful header.

Ha Noi intentionally slowed the pace of the game with the visitors looking for an equaliser.

But any chances of a comeback were snuffed out by Timothy who successfully dispatched his second penalty of the game in the 80th minute before Trung launched a rocket into the back of the net in the 82nd minute.

Khanh Hoa missed a chance for a consolation in the last minute of the game with Majabvi missing from the spot.

In other games on Saturday, Da Nang demolished Hoang Anh Gia Lai 4-1, while Thanh Hoa edged Binh Duong 2-1.

Sai Gon FC recorded their first victory of the campaign with a 2-0 way win over Kien Giang.

In yesterday's matches, Hai Phong were held to a 1-1 draw by Dong Thap; Song Lam Nghe An drew with Ha Noi T&T 2-2 and Navibank Sai Gon lost 2-1 to Ninh Binh.

vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn

Teams seek good results ahead of Tet

Football clubs in the Super League are determined to get good results this weekend so they can fully enjoy the Lunar New Year.

But it seems that home teams have the upper hand before the two-week break for the Tet holiday.

Among four early games today, third-place Da Nang will take on second-place Hoang Anh Gia Lai at Chi Lang Stadium. It will be a tight game as both teams are in good form, but the home team will likely take full points.

Ha Noi football club, who lost both games and are rooted to bottom place, have a good opportunity to earn their first win as they host Khanh Hoa at Hang Day Stadium.

Despite playing against Binh Duong, Thanh Hoa are aiming for nothing but three points.

Kien Giang is probably in danger of losing points to Sai Gon football club, who are considered the favourites over the home team.

The most intriguing game of the round is between defending champions Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) and runners-up Ha Noi T&T tomorrow.

This is a rematch of last season's final match between two teams that saw SLNA drawing Ha Noi T&T to earn enough points to lift the trophy after 10 years.

"It is a very interesting match," Ha Noi T&T's coach, Phan Thanh Hung, said.

"We have the strongest line-up for the match and are ready to face SLNA. We will leave Vinh Stadium with at least one point to enjoy a joyful Tet holiday," Hung said.

Hai Phong, who have had a stuttering start, will have a good chance to bag their first win as they face Dong Thap.

The Mekong Delta-based team significantly lost its strength after the departure of goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, striker Samson Kayode and coach Pham Cong Loc, key factors in the club's success in recent years.

Navibank Sai Gon are favourites over Ninh Binh, who has won just one point, and are in the bottom area

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PM steps in on TV rights row

Football furore: Local television stations will be allowed to broadcast live the national football championship matches on Sunday. The Viet Nam Professional Football JSC claims the broadcasting contract between the Viet Nam Football Federation and the Audio Visual Global Company is illegal. — File Photo

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday provided direction to help settle disputes about television broadcast rights to timely reserve spectators' demand via television.

Dung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve the conflict so as to live up to spectators' expectations and then report to the Government.

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with the Audio Visual Global Company (AVG) from 2010-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for the national football championship (Super League).

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Professional Football JSC (VPF) said that the exclusive broadcast rights contract between the VFF and the AVG was illegal and television stations should be allowed to broadcast live the tournament's matches.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

During investigations, the Government leader allowed television stations to broadcast all matches under the management of the VPF.

After receiving PM Dung's direction, AVG sent a press release to affirm that it would strictly obey the PM's direction. — VNS

vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn

Prime Minister directs to help settle dispute on TV broadcast rights

HA NOI -- Prime Minister (PM) Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday provided direction to help settle disputes about television broadcast rights to timely reserve spectators' demand via television.

PM Dung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve the conflict so as to live up to the spectators' expectations and then report to the Government.

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with the Audio Visual Global Company (AVG) from 2011-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for the national football championship (Super League).

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Professional Football JSC (VPF) said that the exclusive broadcast rights contract between the VFF and the AVG was illegal and television stations should be allowed to broadcast live the tournament's matches.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

During investigations, the Government leader allowed television stations to broadcast all matches under the management of the VPF.

After receiving PM Dung's direction, AVG sent a press release to affirm that it would strictly obey the PM's direction. -- VNS

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Ministry to probe broadcast rights

Rules of the game: Cameramen film a football match at Ha Noi's My Dinh National Stadium. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced an investigation into exclusive broadcasting rights contracts between the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) and the Audio Vision Global Co (AVG). — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Thang

HA NOI — The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism promulgated an official document on Monday, announcing the inspection of an exclusive broadcasting contracts between the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) and the Audio Vision Global Company (AVG).

The deadline for inspection is 15 days from Monday. In the interim, related companies must respect the signed contract.

The VFF signed a contract with the AVG from 2011-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for national football tournaments.

The VFF's document stated that the VFF previously handed all rights, including broadcasting rights, to the Viet Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) who was to manage VFF contracts.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

However, there has been on-going conflict between the AVG and the VPF as to what exactly happened.

Last week, the VPF sent an official document to the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry ofInformation and Communication; and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to request verification of the legality of the contract between VFF and AVG. Right after that, AVG also sent an official document to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for inspection.

"At present, the AVG has no comment. We will wait for the conclusion of appropriate authorities," said AVG's chairman Pham Nhat Vu. — VNS

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Khanh Hoa crush Ninh Binh in Vietnam Super League

Khatoco Khanh Hoa players celebrate after crushing Ninh Binh 4-0 at Nha Trang Stadium in Super League 2nd round on Sunday. Photo by Quang Nhut

Khatoco Khanh Hoa thrashed visitors Vissai Ninh Binh 4-0 in the second round of Vietnam’s top-flight Super League at Nha Trang Stadium Sunday.

The hosts set a cracking pace right from the beginning, and were the better side throughout the match, scoring twice in each half.

Defending champs Hanoi T&T climbed to the top of the table with six points after struggling to a 1-0 away win over 2007-08 champs Becamex Binh Duong.

Both teams were profligate, frittering away many clear scoring chances.

After the first two rounds of the season, Hanoi FC is at the bottom without a point yet.

By Thanh Nien News