League

Hanoi
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Lê Thien kicked off to start the match. Hoàng Phuc showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lê Thien in the 3rd minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lê Thien in the 7th minute of play forced Dien Bien's goalkeeper Hoàng Phuc to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 9th minute Lê Thien shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Hoàng Phuc saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After some fancy dribbling in the 12th minute, Nguyễn Dung managed to get in a good position for a shot. HoangNamFc's supporters rose to their feet, but Nguyễn Dung was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Hoàng Phuc breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Nguyễn Khoi sent away a hard shot on goal in the 13th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 18th minute, Lê Thien managed to get in a good position for a shot. HoangNamFc's supporters rose to their feet, but Lê Thien was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Hoàng Phuc breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. When Nguyễn Pham fell near the penalty area in the 19th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Dien Bien's protests and gave Nguyễn Pham a yellow card for diving instead. Nguyễn Pham hit a great freekick 19 minutes into the match. Nguyễn Dung's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Hoàng Phuc firmly grabbed it by the left post. In the 22nd minute Nguyễn Khoi shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Phan Liem saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Nguyễn Khoi had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 24th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Nguyễn Khoi sent away a hard shot on goal in the 26th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After having played for 28 minutes, Phan Dung managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Dien Bien's supporters crossed their fingers, but Phan Dung was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Nguyễn Ritchell's late challenge caught a Dien Bien's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Nguyễn Ritchell helped the player get up and apologised. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 31st minute of the game. One of HoangNamFc:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Dien Bien:s goal. Đỗ Tan hit a great freekick 35 minutes into the match. Nguyễn Dung received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 41st minute. Hoàng Phuc tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Phan Liem made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Nguyễn Khoi in the 44th minute of play. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Nguyễn Khoi to strike the kick off in the second half. Hoàng Phuc showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lê Thien, who was totally free with the ball in the 53rd minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Phan Dung got free with Phan Liem in the 56th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 59th minute, Lê Thien left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The HoangNamFc fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-0. 63 minutes into the match, HoangNamFc's goal looked a bit too open when Nguyễn Khoi came free, but Phan Liem reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When HoangNamFc's Lê Thien in the 69th minute got a chance for a shot 69th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Dien Bien's goalie prevented a goal. 70 minutes into the match, Dien Bien's Nguyễn Khoi sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Phan Liem narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Nguyễn Dung might have been able to make a better finish in the 76th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Hoàng Phuc. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Nguyễn Dung ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 78th minute, Nguyễn Pham hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a defensive mix-up in HoangNamFc's zone, Nguyễn Khoi stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Phan Liem came out of the goal and Nguyễn Khoi tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Nguyễn Tinh sent away a hard shot on goal in the 86th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lê Thien in the 88th minute of play forced Dien Bien's goalkeeper Hoàng Phuc to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 92nd minute, Nguyễn Pham hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Lê Thien received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 93rd minute. Hoàng Phuc tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Dien Bien's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.