[goldenHuddlestone]

Defending champions Dong Tam Long An moved into pole position in the Vietnam league standings on Sunday after picking up their seventh victory in nine games with a 2-1 win at Nam Dinh.

With front-runners Binh Dinh having a bye week and closest challengers Binh Duong and Da Nang both dropping points, Dong Tam took full advantage to open up a two-point gap at the top of the standings.

The visitors went ahead with a goal by Brazilian striker Carlos a minute before half-time and his compatriot Antonio then made it 2-0 on 62 minutes.

Pham Thanh Nguyen pulled a goal back for Nam Dinh with nine minutes remaining but the home side were unable to find an equaliser as they dropped five points behind the new league leaders, who have 34 points.

Binh Duong and Da Nang failed to keep pace with Dong Tam after suffering away defeats. A 75th minute goal by Das Silva earned Hoa Phat a 1-0 win against Binh Duong while Da Nang went down 2-0 at Khanh Hoa.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai joined Binh Dinh in second place with 32 points after Kiatisuk Senamuangs 70th-minute strike earned them an exciting 3-2 win over LG Hanoi ACB.

Tien Giang remain bottom of the table after a 1-1 draw with Cang Saigon, while Song Lam Nghe An moved away from the drop zone after Le Cong Vinh scored a brace in a 2-1 win over Hai Phong.

[Stiles]

They have a league?

[Jedi Knight]

this is taking football fanaticism too far

[goldenHuddlestone]

Binh Duong defeated Tien Giang 2-0 on Sunday as the race for the Vietnam league heated up further with top spot changing hands for the fifth time in 18 days.

Goals by Ghanaian defender Ebenezer Abbey in the 34th minute and South African striker Philani Kubehka with eight minutes remaining gave Binh Duong all three points against the league’s bottom side, putting them level on 36 points with former leaders Hoang Anh Gia Lai, who drew 0-0 at Cang Sai Gon.

With two rounds of matches remaining, Binh Duong lead the table with a superior goal difference and a match in hand. However, Hoang Anh could still claim their third league title in four seasons if they can beat Binh Duong at home in their final match of the season on August 20.

Binh Duong, Hoang Anh, defending champions Dong Tam Long An, Binh Dinh and Da Nang have all led the standings during the past three weeks and the race for the title is going right down to the wire with the top four separated by just two points.

Despite not playing on Sunday, Dong Tam Long An remain in contention although they have been joined on 34 points by last season’s runners-up Da Nang, who shrugged off their recent poor form to beat Binh Dinh 3-1.

The teams were tied at a goal apiece at the break but second-half goals by Tran Van Hung and veteran Le Huynh Duc gave Da Nang three points and all but ended Binh Dinh’s championship hopes.

Song Lam Nghe An and Hoa Phat both enjoyed 3-1 victories, defeating Khanh Hoa and Hai Phong respectively, while LG Hanoi ACB won 1-0 at Nam Dinh to alleviate their relegation worries.

You can never silence me.