League

Cao Bang
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Trần Pham got the match started through his kick off. Nguyễn Loc kicked well hit freekick during the 2nd minute of the match. Nguyễn Loc sent away a hard shot on goal in the 6th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Nguyễn Duc during the 10th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 10th match minute, Chealse was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Nguyễn Duc to maneuver through the defense. Trần Nga made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Trần Pham in the 15th minute of play. In the 16th minute, Phan Dinh ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Trần Nga was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. Trần Nga didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Phan Dinh went, in the 25th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-2 was the resulting score. Phan Dinh fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 32nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Trần Nga having to interfere. 34 minutes into the match, Xuan Thanh's Phan Dinh sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Trần Nga narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Trần Diem during the 36th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 36th minute of the game. One of Xuan Thanh:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Chealse:s goal. The supporters of Xuan Thanh booed when Chealse was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 41 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nguyễn Duc didn't get a good kick on the ball. Nguyễn Hoai, 42 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Trần Pham's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Trần Nga read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 44th minute of play. After 45 minutes of play, Xuan Thanh's Phan Dinh made it 1-3 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Trần Nga was left in no man's land by his defense there! Trần Pham received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 48th minute. Trần Nga tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Nguyễn Duc to make the kick off. Nguyễn Loc sent away a hard shot on goal in the 55th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When Nguyễn Bien fell near the penalty area in the 58th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Chealse's protests and gave Nguyễn Bien a yellow card for diving instead. In the 58th minute, one of Chealse:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Chealse. The goalkeeper, Trần Nga, was totally fooled by Xuan Thanh's Nguyễn Hoai, who 59 minutes into the game made a penalty shot that went in on the goalkeeper's left side. Phan Dinh sent away a hard shot on goal in the 63rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Trần Pham was really disappointed when he shot the ball just outside the right post instead of scoring a goal in the 64th minute. Xuan Thanh's manager could be seen on the sidelines shaking his head and muttering to himself as his team had just wasted another chance. In the 66th minute, Lê Chi hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Phan Dinh recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 67th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Trần Nga took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Trần Pham, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Phan Dinh fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 71st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Trần Nga having to interfere. Phan Dinh succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 1-5 in the 73rd playminute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Trần Pham in the 76th minute of play forced Chealse's goalkeeper Trần Nga to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Trần Pham fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 78th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Trần Nga having to interfere. When the match had gone on for 81 minutes, Trần Pham took a quick shot and it went in 1-6 without a chance for Trần Nga to make any attempt to save it. Trần Nga made a fantastic save in the 86th minute, when Phan Dinh sent off a good shot on target. If Phan Dinh had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 95th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Trần Nga made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Trần Pham in the 96th minute of play. The Chealse fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Xuan Thanh were clearly better and deserved to take the win.