League

Khanh Hoa
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. Võ Thien started the match with the kick off. Nguyễn Duc showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Trần Thanh Bình in the 6th minute of the match. 10 minutes into the match, Nguyễn Nga notched a goal, 1-0, to the right of Vinh Long's Phạm Hong. Phạm Hong was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Nguyễn Nga recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 13th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Nguyễn Loc sent away a hard shot on goal in the 15th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. After some fancy dribbling in the 18th minute, Nguyễn Nga managed to get in a good position for a shot. Nguyen Gia's supporters rose to their feet, but Nguyễn Nga was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Phạm Hong breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 20 minutes into the match, Võ Thien had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Nguyễn Duc. Nguyen Gia's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Võ Thien was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. A collision led to Nguyen Gia getting a freekick after 25 minutes play. Phạm Dung hit a great ball. After having played for 26 minutes, Trần Dong managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Vinh Long's supporters crossed their fingers, but Trần Dong was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Trần Thanh Bình scored 1-2 in the 28th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Nguyễn Duc, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. 35 minutes into the match, Nguyen Gia's goal looked a bit too open when Trần Thanh Bình came free, but Nguyễn Duc reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Phạm Hong made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Nguyễn Loc in the 36th minute of play. Phạm Nhật Minh received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 38th minute. Phạm Hong tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Phạm Nhật Minh struck a weak shot in the 40th minute. Phạm Hong didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Nguyen Gia. Nguyễn Loc could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 41st minute of the match, but Phạm Hong made a huge save. In the 44th minute Trần Thanh Bình shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nguyễn Duc saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 45 played minutes Nguyen Gia got a freekick which was hit by Phạm Dung. After the first half Vinh Long were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Nguyễn Loc to make the kick off. 51 minutes into the match, Vinh Long's goal looked a bit too open when Phạm Nhật Minh came free, but Phạm Hong reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 51 minutes into the game, Nguyen Gia's Phạm Nhật Minh nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Phạm Hong made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-2. 54 minutes into the game, Trần Hieu was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Nguyen Gia's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Vinh Long the free kick. A collision led to Nguyen Gia getting a freekick after 54 minutes play. Trần Hieu hit a great ball. In the 55th minute of the match Võ Phong shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Nguyễn Duc showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Phạm Nhật Minh sent away a hard shot on goal in the 56th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Nguyễn Loc fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 58th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Phạm Hong having to interfere. Nguyễn Nga fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 61st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Phạm Hong having to interfere. In the 62nd minute, Nguyễn Nga hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If Trần Thanh Bình had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 63rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 65th minute Phạm Nhật Minh shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Phạm Hong saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Nguyễn Duy hit a great freekick 72 minutes into the match. In the 74th minute of the match, Võ Thien tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Nguyễn Duc saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. Phạm Hong came out of the goal in the 75th minute to try and stop a shot by Nguyen Gia's Nguyễn Nga. But to his dismay, Nguyễn Nga quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-2. Phạm Hong showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Nguyễn Nga in the 79th minute of the match. Nguyen Gia's Nguyễn Duc played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Võ Thien in the 83rd minute of play. If Nguyễn Loc had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 87th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Nguyễn Lien hit a great freekick 95 minutes into the match. Vinh Long's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.