T&T eager to retain pole position

Defending champions Ha Noi T&T will be in a good position tomorrow when the V-League resumes after a one-week interruption to hold their first training camp with the team's new head coach.

T&T, leading the table with 38 points, are the clear favourites in the match at Hang Day Stadium against struggling team Dong Tam Long An, ranked second from the bottom with only 13 points.


With many quality players on the squad and the advantage of playing at home, the hosts are expected to pocket three points with their eighth win out of nine games.

A loss could condemn Long An to bottom place, where they could face the risk of relegation.

T&T's nearest opponent in the title race is Becamex Binh Duong, placed at second with 36 points.

After a disappointing away draw at Dong Nai, Binh Duong will return home to host eighth-placed Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

Anything less than a win could jeopardise the host's chances of lifting the trophy because they have played one more match than T&T. Thanh Hoa, which are still in contention for the title and currently rank third with 33 points, will have a difficult trip to Tam Ky city to face home team Quang Nam. A loss could eliminate Than Hoa from the title race.

SHB Da Nang, who are at fourth with 29 points, have an extremely slim chance of winning the title and will blow it away this weekend if they lose, which is likely to happen.

Fifth-ranked Song Lam Nghe An are expected to extend their winning streak to four when they travel to Bien Hoa city to face the host Dong Nai, which rank four points below their opponent.

At the other end of the table, the battle to avoid relegation heated up when Hung Vuong An Giang closed the gap with Long An, to only two points.

With Long An having little chance of gaining points at Hang Day, An Giang might be able to lift themselves out of bottom place if they beat Hai Phong,

Having lost all five recent games, Hai Phong have fallen to 10th place with 16 points, just five points above An Giang