U23 Vietnam overcome Brazil in Challenge Cup
Vietnam’s under-23 football team defeated Brazil’s Santos U23 squad 3-1 in the second match of the Ho Chi Minh City Challenge Cup on September 29 at the Thong Nhat Stadium.
Le Van Thang of Vietnam added two goals to the scoreboard with Vietnamese forward Mac Hong Quan pocketing his own for the match. Santos’s only goal belonged to Pedro Silva in the final moments of the match.
The host team appeared bolstered by a 2-1 victory over Galatasaray two days earlier, launching a strong attack on their big-form rivals. Striker Le Van Thang and midfielder Nguyen Van Quyet each scored one goal in the second half with Turkey’s substitute responding with a goal for the visiting team.
It is the team’s fifth win out of six recent matches in preparation for the SEA Games. The team will represent Vietnam at the 27th SEA Games in December and will attend a 12-day training course in Myanmar early next month. They will compete with the host U23 team before the Games officially kick off.
Returning from Myanmar, the U23s will compete in the Binh Duong Television Cup, an annual international football tournament.
Sa Pa prepares for international marathon
More than 170 athletes representing 40 countries have registered to compete in the International Mountain Marathon on October 5-6 in the northern tourist resort town of Sa Pa.
Runners can attempt either a 21km half marathon, a 42km full marathon, or a 68km ultra marathon.
Danish Ambassador John Nielsen and “Running Man” Vu Xuan Tien, will participate.
The marathon’s opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at Lao Cai province’s National Road No. 4D.
At a September 27 meeting, Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee and the event’s main organizer – the Danish Embassy – discussed preparations for the event, with the latter providing healthcare and security support.
Provincial People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Duong promised Lao Cai will closely coordinate with organisers to promote friendship and the nation’s image to foreign visitors.
Danish Embassy Counsellor Jacob Green thanked the province for keeping the Embassy informed, pledged to abide by Vietnamese law, and expressed hope the marathon will become an annual event.
The two-day competition is co-organised by Phu Thinh-Topas Travel Co. Ltd, Topas Ecolodge Joint Venture Company, and Sapa O’Chau School.
Hoang Nam eliminated from China ITF semifinals
Young Vietnamese tennis player Ly Hoang Nam lost to Latvia’s Arturs Lazdins 0-2 in their China Junior U16 Beijing semifinal on September 27.
Nam took a 5-3 lead in the first minutes before his inexperience allowed Lazdins to equalise at 5-5 and push the set into a 6-6 tiebreaker.
Again, the Vietnamese player started strong with the score line 5-2, but Nam faded fast. Lazdins took the set 11-9.
Nam never really recovered. He trailed Lazdins 0-4, clawed back four games, before Lazdins sealed the match 4-6 with a 190km/h ace.
Hoang Nam earned 50 points from the tournament and is expected to advance in the next International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) junior rankings.
U23 Vietnam surprise Galatasaray
Vietnam beat Turkey’s Galatasaray 2-1 in their opening game of the Challenge Cup at Thong Nhat Stadium in HCM City on September 27.
Striker Le Van Thang and midfielder Nguyen Van Quyet each scored one goal in the second half with a Galatasaray substitute responding with a goal for the visiting team.
Galatasaray gave an impressive start but quickly faced an increasingly confident Vietnamese side, bolstered by strong defensive play.
Vietnam failed to set up early opportunities but continued an aggressive attack on the Turkish defence. Possession favoured the Vietnamese side but several missed attempts from striker Mac Hong Quan prevented an early lead.
Quan fumbled two chances from the left wing, following strong efforts from teammates on the right flank.
Fans were left gripping their seats on 43 minutes when Quan sent a ball flying above the goal, after a grueling set up from his teammates.
Teams went to the lockers at half time with an empty scoreboard after Minh Tuan lobbed a free kick into the Galatasaray keeper’s gloves.
Vietnam still controlled the game in the second half, setting up opportunities to break the deadlock.
Following a series of missed shots, Thang broke the impasse on 62 minutes after a blocked attempt from Ha Minh Tuan, deflected by the Turkish goalkeeper.
Turkey’s substitutions – made to revive its chances – paid off as substitute Demir responded strongly with an equaliser just two minutes from full time.
The Vietnamese side responded one minute later as Tuan set up teammate Quyet to use his body to drive the ball over the line. While Uysal managed to clear the ball away, the referee determined the ball had crossed the goal line.
Vietnam will play their second match against Santos’ U23 side on September 29.
U16s win not enough to qualify for Cup finals
Viet Nam failed to qualify for the Asian Confederation Cup (AFC) U-16 Championship despite beating Philippines 3-0 in the final Group J match yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Viet Nam ranked second with six points after two wins and one loss, trailing Japan.
The 10 group winners and five best runner ups will qualify for the finals. Viet Nam is unlikely to make the finals with an inferior face-to-face record, trailing behind five countries.
Viet Nam to play pre-SEA Games tourney
The national team yesterday left for Myanmar to take part in the ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championships from September 29-October 3.
In the warm up for the SEA Games, Viet Nam will play Thailand, Malaysia and the hosts.
Teams will compete in a round-robin format, and the draw will be held today at the Wunna Theikdi Sport Complex.
After the event, players will return to HCM City on October 4 and train under coach Rakphol Sainetngam from Thailand until they depart for an intensive training course in Japan starting on November 11.
The women’s futsal event will take place from December 8-20 at the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.
At a recent press briefing, futsal officials were given a target of helping the team to finish in the medals.
Huyen, Dong win gold at shooting event
Phung Le Huyen of Thanh Hoa won a gold medal on the penultimate day of the National Star Marksmen Tournament yesterday in Ha Noi.
Huyen struggled in the qualifying round, but made up with an outstanding performance in the final to win the men’s three-position rifle title with a score of 96.9 points.
Nguyen Duy Hoang of the Military team came second, 1.8 points behind, followed by teammate Nguyen Thanh Nam in third with 92.2.
Dau Van Dong won the men’s 2m sport pistol event, scoring 582 points.
He was followed by Bui Quang Nam of Ha Noi and Nguyen Duy Phuc from the national team.
The seven-day tournament will conclude today with just the men’s 25m centre-fire pistol to be decided.