League

Lao Cai
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Bùi Diem started the match with the kick off. If Mai Phong had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 3rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. When Mai Phong fell near the penalty area in the 7th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Lao Cai's protests and gave Mai Phong a yellow card for diving instead. Mai Phong hit a great freekick 7 minutes into the match. Nguyễn Hong Minh received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 10th minute. Nguyễn Thi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Nguyễn Hong Minh fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nguyễn Thi having to interfere. The supporters of Lao Cai booed when Ba Ria-Vung Tau was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 18 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nguyễn Hieu Ngan didn't get a good kick on the ball. Nguyễn Tu who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 23rdth minute tested the skills of Phan Hong when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Through an outstanding action, after 25 minutes, Phan Hong successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. The supporters of Ba Ria-Vung Tau booed when Lao Cai was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 27 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nguyễn Tu didn't get a good kick on the ball. If Bùi Diem had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 29th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Phan Hong was out of position in the 33 minute of play, and Nguyễn Tu capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Nguyễn Tu really showed his touch with that goal: 1-0. After having played for 37 minutes, Lương Mai managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ba Ria-Vung Tau's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lương Mai was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Bùi Diem struck a weak shot in the 43rd minute. Nguyễn Thi didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Lê Van Quyen charged in rather forcefully in the 47th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Lê Van Quyen the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 47th match minute, Lao Cai was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Lê Van Quyen to maneuver through the defense.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Mai Phong made a kick off. In the 52nd minute Nguyễn Chi shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nguyễn Thi saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. With a little luck, Lao Cai's Nguyễn Thi got control of the ball when Trần Hung tried to sneak it across the goal line. Nguyễn Hong Minh succeeded in the game's 56th minute to shoot an unreachable shot under the crossbar and scored - 1-1. After 58 played minutes Ba Ria-Vung Tau got a freekick which was hit by Lương Mai. An unexpectedly hard shot by Mai Phong in the 60th minute of play forced Ba Ria-Vung Tau's goalkeeper Phan Hong to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 63rd match minute, Lao Cai was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Chung Hoang to maneuver through the defense. In the 67th minute Bùi Diem shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nguyễn Thi saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Nguyễn Thi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lương Mai in the 69th minute of play. After some careless play in the Ba Ria-Vung Tau defense, Lý Minh-ha kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Phan Hong. The Ba Ria-Vung Tau fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Phan Hong should have stopped the shot. In the 78th minute Mai Phong shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Phan Hong saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 84th minute, Mai Phong left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Lao Cai fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 3-2. Lý Minh-ha blasted a shot towards the goal in the 89th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Phan Hong having to make a save. An unexpectedly hard shot by Mai Phong in the 92nd minute of play forced Ba Ria-Vung Tau's goalkeeper Phan Hong to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Phan Hong took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Nguyễn Tu, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 95th match minute, Lao Cai was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Nguyễn Tu to maneuver through the defense. The Lao Cai support was delighted with a win in a match that could easily have ended differently.