Hanoi FC (in blue) have now gone six matches without losing a single game. (Photo: NDO/Tran Hai)

Playing away to a higher-rated Hanoi side who possess a lineup of quality players, Hai Phong manager Truong Viet Hoang directed his players to play with solid defence, targeting to win at least one point against the title holders.

In order to achieve that goal, the guests were loyal to the counter-attacking playstyle throughout the match, which made it difficult for Hanoi FC to approach the goal of keeper Van Toan.

In a deadlock situation, Hanoi manager Chu Dinh Nghiem put Thanh Luong onto the field to replace Thai Quy just a few minutes before the break.

Nghiem’s substitution worked immediately as Thanh Luong earned a penalty for the home side after his 41st-minute shot forced defender Van Loi into a handball. Lucky enough for Hai Phong, goalie Van Toan brilliantly blocked Omar’s converter from the spot to rescue the visitors from trailing by a goal into half time.

Hai Phong came close to opening the scoring in the last minutes of the first half, as forward Fagan’s close-range header unexpectedly struck the post.

Early in the second half, Hoai Duong came off the bench to put Hai Phong FC in front by heading home a corner kick. He was also to blame for Hanoi’s equaliser three minutes after the hour mark with a handball foul in the box, which gifted the home side a penalty that was successfully converted by Hoang Vu Samson.

The naturalised forward completed his double in the 74th minute with a close-range header before midfielder Quang Hai scored a late winner three minutes into injury time to wrap up a fantastic 3-1 victory for Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side.

Gaining the full three points on home field, Hanoi FC climbed to second position with 14 points and now stand ready for the clash with front-runners Ho Chi Minh City in the next round.

Pereira Junior scored a solitary goal on the stroke of half time to gift Nam Dinh FC a narrow 1-0 win at home against former champions Becamex Binh Duong on Sunday, thereby temporarily lifting Nguyen Van Sy’s side out of the relegation zone.

Quang Nam FC got their first win of the season after defeating Hoang Anh Gia Lai with three unanswered goals on their home turf. The poor result forced Gia Lai manager Duong Minh Ninh to resign after the match.

In other matchday 6 clashes, Thanh Hoa FC played out a 2-2 draw against Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN while HCM City and Quang Ninh Coal emerged as the 2-0 and 3-0 victors over newly promoted Viettel and Saigon FC, respectively.

Nhan Dan