Nam Dinh hosted the capital team with their confidence strongly boosted by a narrow seventh-round victory over Song Lam Nghe An. However, the difference in terms of quality and V.League experience prevented manager Nguyen Van Sy’s side from creating an upset against the 2016 champions.

The V.League newbies could not take advantage of several rare chances to score, as their two foreign forwards played under form, with Henry firing a close-range header wide, while Benjamin was withdrawn after just 30 minutes.

The sixth loss of the season means Nam Dinh FC remain stuck in bottom place with only four points after eight matches. The northern team must improve their finishing and make economic use of the opportunities created during the upcoming league games if they wish to spark any hopes of breaking out of the relegation zone.

Nam Dinh FC (in yellow) have conceded six losses so far this season.

Meanwhile, a comfortable win against Nam Dinh had been predicted for Hanoi FC, as manager Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side are demonstrating exceptional form compared to the other competitors. The full three points won at Thien Truong stadium has helped Hanoi to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 matches in all competitions this year and remain dominant in the race for the 2018 V.League trophy, as they are now six points clear of runners-up Quang Ninh Coal.

The capital team currently possesses both the best attacking and defensive lines in Vietnam’s top-flight football tournament, as they have scored a total of 21 goals (an average of 2.6 goals per match), while conceding only three goals since the beginning of the season. Notably, by scoring against Nam Dinh last weekend, Hanoi’s Nigerian forward Oseni has raised his league tally to 11 goals, thus consolidating his reign in the top-scorer hunt with six goals more than that of Patiyo Tambwe (XSKT Can Tho).

If this fighting spirit and stable form are maintained, it is almost certain that Hanoi FC will be crowned the champions of the V.League first leg, as there are only five matches left to go.

Hanoi FC players celebrate their opener against Nam Dinh FC.

The 2-1 victory over Hai Phong helped Becamex Binh Duong to get their foothold in the top three of the provisional table. This is a surprising but deserved result for the 2015 V.League title holders, following what they have achieved in the last period of the 2018 season: securing three wins and four draws, and conceding only one loss. The former champions can definitely dream of a successful season, as they have already stormed into the semifinals of the Vietnamese National Cup.