HANOI (11 Jan 2011) – Defending V-League champions Hanoi T&T started the year on the best possible note when they won the Super Cup by beating Song Lam Nghe An 4-2 on penalties at the Hang Day Stadium.
The score at the end of regulation was 2-2. Even with a string of stars for Hanoi T&T including Vietnam international goalkeeper Duong Hong Son, captain Cristiano Roland and Brazil’s Cauce Benicio, they failed to stamp their dominance as Nghe An blazed to a 2-0 lead slightly after the hour mark.
Edmun Owusu Ansah found the lead for Nghe An off a cross in the 53rd minute cross, before midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang made it 2-0 following a quick counterattack on 69 minute.
Hanoi then rallied for their first goal of the game from Cao Sy Cuong in the 80th minute as captain Cristiano Roland slammed home the equaliser late in injury time.
As winners of the Super Cup, Hanoi T&T received VND200 million (USD10,000) prize money while runners-up Nghe AN pocketed VND100 million (USD5,000).
In the meantime, there’s still no final agreement yet on V-League’s broadcasting rights with cable TV provider Audio Vision Global (AVG) and television stations not able to reach an understanding.
AVG, which won a 20-year contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) last December to broadcast V-League matches, has been offering local television stations rights to broadcast V-League matches this year, but the negotiations have not been finalised.
AVG, which is licensed to operate a satellite and digital television company, plans to officially launch a 70-channel TV package later this year. The company has set a deadline for local TV stations to sign TV deals by Monday.
The V-League will kick off on 22 January, but Vietnamese fans will not be able to watch any matches if an agreement is not made by next week.
The V-League has been a huge money maker for the VFF since 2004, when Vietnam Television paid VND4 billion (USD200,000) to broadcast V-League matches. The cable TV provider, a member of the An Vien Group, was established in 2008 with VND1,800 billion (USD85 million) in charter capital.
