DA NANG LEAD V-LEAGUE 2012 INTO FINAL STRETCH

HANOI (16 July 2012) – Former champions SHB Da Nang are leading the V-League 2012 with just two points ahead of second-placed Hanoi T&T and with just five more games to go to the end of the season.

The winners in 2009 had a relatively untroubled weekend as coach Le Huynh Duc kept with the winning line-up that beat defending champions Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) 4-0 last week.

They opened account on 37th minute through Nicolas Hernandez before doubling their lead off Huynh Quoc Anh two minutes later for the full points as they took advantage of the loss suffered by their nearest challenger Hanoi T&T who fell to a 3-2 loss to Ninh Binh.

In the meantime, defending champions SLNA put their campaign back on track when they demolished Hai Phong 5-2 in Vinh City. International Nguyen Trong Hoang nailed the opener on 17^th minute as Hector Hughtun Kerin rifled in the second goal eight minutes later.

In the second half, Gustave Bebe and Dieng made it 4-0, before Hoang Dinh Tung narrowed the gap for the visitors in the 74th minute. Kerin then grabbed the fifth goal for SLNA moments later before Hai Phong reduced the gap to 5-2 near the final whistle.

Elsewhere, two-time champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai beat Kien Giang 3-0; Sai Gon Xuan Thanh won 2-1 over Khatoco Khanh Hoa; Thanh Hoa beat Navibank Sai Gon 2-0 and Becamex Binh Duong crashed Dong Thap 1-0.

CURRENT V-LEAGUE 2012 STANDINGS