League

Bac Lieu
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. Lê Tu started the match with the kick off. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Nguyễn Viet in the 3rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Đặng Bay saved HO CHI MINH FC from getting behind. Trần Cuc kicked well hit freekick during the 6th minute of the match. Nguyễn Viet struck a weak shot in the 8th minute. Đặng Bay didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Dak Lak. Phan Cuc fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 12th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nguyễn Tu having to interfere. Mai Duy received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 13th minute. Nguyễn Tu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Nguyễn Viet came up free with the goalie in the 15th minute, the Dak Lak fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Nguyễn Viet couldn't finish the play. In the 17th minute, Nguyễn Minh-ha got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Mai Duy struck a weak shot in the 20th minute. Nguyễn Tu didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for HO CHI MINH FC. Lê Tu sent away a hard shot on goal in the 23rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After having played for 26 minutes, Nguyễn Viet managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Dak Lak's supporters crossed their fingers, but Nguyễn Viet was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After having played for 32 minutes, Phan Cuc managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. HO CHI MINH FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Phan Cuc was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. 42 minutes into the game, Trần Dong was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Dak Lak's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave HO CHI MINH FC the free kick. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 41st minute of the game. One of Dak Lak:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of HO CHI MINH FC:s goal. When the match had been going on for 43 minutes, HO CHI MINH FC's Lê Tu got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Nguyễn Tu.

Phan Cuc sent away a hard shot on goal in the 51st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 54th minute, Lê Tu reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Đặng Bay. The goal made the score 1-1. 58 minutes into the match, HO CHI MINH FC's Mai Duy sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Nguyễn Tu narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 63rd minute, Phan Cuc left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The HO CHI MINH FC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-1. 68 minutes into the match, Dak Lak's goal looked a bit too open when Mai Duy came free, but Nguyễn Tu reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Nguyễn Viet had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 70th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Đặng Bay showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lê Tu, who was totally free with the ball in the 72nd minute. After a defensive mix-up in Dak Lak's zone, Phan Cuc stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nguyễn Tu came out of the goal and Phan Cuc tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Đặng Bay showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lê Tu in the 86th minute of the match. 88 minutes into the match, HO CHI MINH FC's goal looked a bit too open when Lê Tu came free, but Đặng Bay reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lê Tu might have been able to make a better finish in the 92nd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Đặng Bay. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Lê Tu ran back to his position shaking his head. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The HO CHI MINH FC fans cheered their team off the field, for while Dak Lak had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.