Southeast Asia Vietnam

The Defending Champions are Back! Viettel Blasts Three as Binh Duong’s 100% Record is Snapped

It took a lengthy hiatus but nonetheless it might be exact thing that they needed. Defending V.League 1 champions Viettel FC got their title defense campaign up and running after failing to win their first two games, comfortably seeing off Becamex Binh Duong 3-1 at the Hang Day Stadium in Sunday’s 2021 V.League 1 Round 3 action. Vice-captain Que Ngoc Hai marked his return from injury with a goal – his first goal for the Red Tornado since joining them in 2019.

Coming into Sunday’s match, Binh Duong were one of the few V.League 1 teams with a 100% record, having won their first two games over Dong A Thanh Hoa and Hanoi FC respectively. The Eastern Whirlwind traveled up North to take on a Viettel side who were seeking for their first win of the 2021 campaign.

Like city rivals Hanoi, Viettel used the lengthy Lunar New Year break to regroup and recuperate after a stuttering start to the season that saw the defending champions lose to Hai Phong FC in the opening round and being forced to a goalless draw by Thanh Hoa prior to the league grinding to a pause. This allowed the injured Ngoc Hai to make a full recovery and new signing Jahongir Abdumuminov to settle into the team, with the duo making their first starts of the season for Viettel on Sunday.

With Ngoc Hai reunited with defensive partner and Viettel captain Bui Tien Dung in the heart of the Viettel back-line, the Red Tornado took the lead in the 22nd minute, having tested Binh Duong’s defense a number of times after kick-off. Midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc sprayed in a cross from outside the Binh Duong penalty box, before Ngoc Hai smashed the ball past Binh Duong goalkeeper Tran Duc Cuong with his first touch.

Binh Duong then restored parity in the 31st minute, with Victor Mansaray delivering an accurate pass towards Pape Omar Faye who had positioned himself deep inside the Viettel defense. Binh Duong captain Pape gave the incoming ball to Nguyen Tien Linh, who wasted no time in firing a close-ranged shot that went past a diving Tran Nguyen Manh, equalizing the scoreline for the Eastern Whirlwind.

Unfortunately for Binh Duong, Viettel responded well to Tien Linh’s goal by restoring their one-goal advantage, this time through Pedro Paulo. Only three minutes after Binh Duong’s equalizer, Duc Cuong received a back-pass from To Van Vu, however the Binh Duong goalkeeper unbelievably messed up his clearance and ended up giving the ball away to Pedro, who easily hammered home Viettel’s second of the night.

Caique Lemes then sealed the win for the defending champions in the 85th minute, with Viettel having endured a tough second half after Binh Duong had threatened a comeback through Tien Linh and Van Vu. Hoang Duc laid-off an indirect free-kick towards Bui Thuy Duong in the right flank, who then crossed the ball towards Caique. The Brazilian did not hesitate as he rifled in a low shot with his right foot past Duc Cuong, ensuring that Viettel would end the night as 3-1 winners.

Sunday’s early kick-offs saw a quick first half salvo sending Hoang Anh Gia Lai to a 2-1 win over Topenland Binh Dinh at the Pleiku Stadium, while Than Quang Ninh rode their luck to stun favorites Ho Chi Minh City FC 2-0 at the Cam Pha Stadium. Alexandre Polking’s Red Battleship were the better side of the two at the Cam Pha, however a series of questionable decisions against them and their inability to take advantage of chances meant that Quang Ninh condemned Ho Chi Minh City to their second defeat from three matches.

With Round 3 all done and dusted, SHB Da Nang took charge of proceedings with three wins out of three, the first time that the Han River Team had won all three of their first three league games in over four years. Le Huynh Duc’s men sat comfortably on the league’s summit with their 100% record, while Quang Ninh, HAGL, and Sai Gon FC rounded-off the top four, the trio having secured two wins and one loss each in their first three matches.