World Cup 2014 Qualifier: Vietnam vs Macau

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Asian Qualifiers

Round 1
Malaysia v Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh v Pakistan
Cambodia v Laos
Sri Lanka v Philippines
Afghanistan v Palestine
Vietnam v Macau
Nepal v Timor Leste
Mongolia v Myanmar

First leg, June 29
Second leg, July 3

Round 2
Thailand v Afghanistan or Palestine
Lebanon v Bangladesh or Pakistan
China v Cambodia or Laos
Turkmenistan v Indonesia
Kuwait v Sri Lanka or Philippines
Oman v Mongolia or Myanmar
Saudi Arabia v Hong Kong
Iran v Maldives
Syria v Tajikistan
Qatar v Vietnam or Macau
Iraq v Yemen
Singapore v Malaysia or Chinese Taipei
Uzbekistan v Kyrgyzstan
UAE v India
Jordan v Nepal or Timor Leste

First leg, July 23
Second leg, July 28


Olympic 2012 2nd ROUND MATCH-UPS

Qatar vs India
Iraq vs Iran
Bahrain vs Thailand
Australia vs Yemen
Japan vs Kuwait
Syria vs Turkmenistan
DPR Korea vs UAE
Korea Republic vs Jordan
Uzbekistan vs Hong Kong
Saudi Arabia vs Vietnam
China vs Oman
Lebanon vs Malaysia

Highlights: Dong Thap 3-1 Ha Noi T&T

V-League 2011: Round 8 results

Dong Thap v Ha Noi T&T: 3-1
Binh Duong v SLNA: 1-4
Thanh Hoa v SHB Da Nang: 3-3
Ninh Binh v Hai Phong: 2-0
DT Long An v Navibank Saigon: 1-1
Hoa Phat v HAGL: 1-2
Khanh Hoa v Ha Noi ACB: 1-0

Interview with Johnny Nguyen

Johnny Nguyen (24)

I managed to get in touch and have a small interview with Johnny Nguyen, a French player of Vietnamese origin.

Q: Hi Johnny, please tell me a bit about yourself. Where were you born? Do you have Vietnamese nationality?

I was born in France and my parent are both Vietnamese. I am French but I'd like to have dual nationality.

Q: When did you start playing football? Which position? 

I start playing football at the age of 6 as a midfielder and today I play professionally at the same position.

Q: Are you playing for a club now?Tell me about your club.

I am currently a player of professional club Stade de Reims in France in Division 2. I am under contract until July 2011. I have some proposals but I have not decided yet ...

Q: What do you know about Vietnamese football? Do you know any club or player in Vietnam?

I watch a little football on the channel VTV Vietnamese here in France. I know a few names of some clubs such as Becamex Binh Duong and Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

Q: Have you ever visited Vietnam? Do you have relatives there?


Yes, I have already come to Vietnam in vacancy in Ho Chi Minh city and of course in Nha Trang where my grandparents and my aunts and cousins live.

Q: There are some overseas Vietnamese players playing in Vietnam, in the V-League, like Lee Nguyen (USA), Ludovic Cassett (France) and Dang Van Robert (Czech Republic). Would you like to play for a club in Vietnam if you get an offer?

Why not? I will consider coming to play in Vietnam after reflection of proposal. I know the name Ludovic Cassett. He has played Auxerre in France but in D team, right?

Q: Do you know any Vietnamese player like you in France?

There are not many professional players of Vietnamese origin in the championship of France.

Thanks Johnny!

In our conversation, Johnny also expressed his wish to help Vietnamese football progress and asked me some questions about obtaining Vietnamese passport if he comes to play in Vietnam. Find more info and contact in his personal website here.

DT Long An duo called up to Tanzania national team

Struggling Dong Tam Long An will not have the service of two Tanzanian players Danny David Mrwanda and Abdi Kassim as they are called up for the African Cup of Nations qualifier vs Central Africa on March 26th. Their absence will add more trouble for new coach Simon McMenemy who saw his side trounced 0-3 by HAGL in his debut. Danny David Mrwanda is a key player of his club.

Another foreign player, Kavin Bryan of SLNA, is called up to Jamaica national team for Gold Cup qualifier vs El Salvador on March 27th.

V-League 2011: Round 7 Results

Ha Noi ACB v Binh Duong: 3-3
Da Nang v Khanh Hoa: 1-1
Ha Noi T&T v Ninh Binh: 2-1
SLNA v Thanh Hoa: 3-0
HAGL v DT Long An: 3-0
Dong Thap v Hoa Phat: 3-1
Hai Phong v Navibank Saigon: 2-0

Vietnam to play First round of WC 2014 qualification

Asia will begin the race to the FIFA World Cup 2014™. Ahead of the Preliminary Draw in Brazil on 30 July 2011, teams from the Asian continent will contest a preliminary round of matches. The draw for this first round takes place on 30 March 2011 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.


The first round will consist of seven home-and-away series, featuring the 14 lowest ranked teams in Asia. The winners of these series will then proceed to a second round.

14 Lowest ranked nations who play in First Round :

29-30, Afghanistan, Cambodia,
31. Nepal,
32. Bangladesh,
33-34. Sri Lanka, Vietnam,
35. Mongolia,
36. Pakistan,
37. Palestine,
38. Timor Leste,
39. Macau,
40-41. Chinese Taipei, Myanmar,
42-43. The Philippines, Laos

The ranking is not based on FIFA ranking but the members' performance in previous WC qualifications. Due to Vietnam's very poor results, our national team has to start from this round with other 13 teams which are all ranked below us in FIFA ranking.

Johnny Nguyen

This is Johnny Nguyen, a 25-year-old French player of Vietnamese descent. Find more info and photos in his personal website here.

Final 5

Steve Sampson & Pierre Lechantre

VFF has determined yesterday last five names that are ideal for the post as head coach of Vietnam national team.

1 - Hans Jurgen Gede (Germany)
2 - Falko Gotz (Germany)
3 - Pierre Lechantre (France)
4 - Eduardo Martinho Viganda (Portugal)
5 - Steve Sampson (USA)

AFC Cup 2011: Two victories over Maldivian

VB Sports v SLNA: 1-3
Ha Noi T&T v Victory SC: 2-0

Don't expect anything

SLNA boss Nguyen Huu Thang informed Vietnamese media that his side will bring 16 youngsters to Maldives for the second fixture of AFC Cup 2011. All foreign players will be rested at home. Even the coach himself will not go, leaving the charge to his assistant coach.

Thus, don't expect anything but embarrassing defeats from them.

T&T V&V

What a name for a football club! It's one of 18 clubs participating in Vietnam Second Division this year. The competition will kick off on April 5th.

Highlights: Binh Duong 4-3 Thanh Hoa

V-League 2011: Round 6 Results

SLNA v SHB Da Nang : 1-0
Ha Noi T&T v DT Long An : 4-1
Hai Phong v HAGL : 1-1
Vissai Ninh Binh v Hoa Phat : 1-1
Binh Duong v LS Thanh Hoa : 4-3
Navibank Saigon v Khanh Hoa : 2-1
Ha Noi ACB v Dong Thap : 2-0

Victorious debut for Calisto

Calisto had his first game at the helm of Muang Thong United when his side defeated Thai Port 2-0 at home this afternoon.

Dinh Hoang Max to join Persepolis?

Dinh Hoang Max and Calisto

http://thethao.thanhnien.com.vn/Pages/20110311/Dinh-Hoang-Max-khoac-ao-mot-CLB-cua-Iran.aspx

It's reported that Dinh Hoang Max (Maxwell Eyerakpo), a naturalized striker, will join top Iranian club Persepolis next season. If it really happens, Dinh Hoang Max will be first Vietnamese player playing in Iran.

Number does speak

38 yellow cards and 4 red cards after 10 games of 2011 season, SLNA has shown what they are always good at. As I remembered, following SHB Da Nang 0-5 away defeat to SLNA last year, half of the visitors' line-up was sidelined due to injury.

Highlights: HAGL 4-1 Ha Noi T&T

French candidate, Pierre Lechantre, for head coach of Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - March 5 2011 -Former head coach of the Paris Football Club, Pierre Lechantre, was elected best coach of Africa in 2000-2001 with the Cameroon national team, and best coach of Asia in January 2002 as the head coach of Qatar.

In 2000, he led Cameroon to win the African Nations Cup and the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. In 2007-2008, he coached the Moroccan club Mas Fes, and last year was finalist of the CAF Confederation Cup with the Club Sportif Sfaxien (Tunisia).

He has also managed the Mali national team, but also clubs in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

With his career as a player from 1970 to 1993 (Sochaux, le RC Lens, Olympique Marseille, Stade de Reims, Red-star and Paris FC ), where he played over 500 games (350 in Ligue 1), scoring 95 goals, the former French U21 international, joined the French Football Federation where he was manager, coach, instructor, educator and earned his D.E.P.E (Professional Football Coach Diploma), the highest football coach diploma in France.

It is clear and obvious that with such a career and experience, he is an ideal candidate to fill the new spot as manager of the Vietnam National Team, but of course it is up to the VFF to decide.

Kim Edouard NGUYEN

Calisto joins Muang Thong United

It's official now. Former Vietnam head coach Henrique Calisto was unveiled by MTU board today.

Simon McMenemy to take charge at Dong Tam Long An

VFF target Simon McMenemy is close to sign for V-League club Dong Tam Long An. He was seen at Long An stadium in the DT Long An v Binh Duong game this afternoon. Answering a Vietnamese reporter, he said he came here to discuss a contract with DT Long An. The club board also confirmed about their interest in the English coach. Current coach Marco Barbosa, who won several World Cup titles with Brazil national beach football team, was sacked.

Samson shows his quality

(dongthapffc.com)

Samson Kayode scored his third brace of the season in Dong Thap's victory over SLNA this afternoon to increase his total number of goals to 6 after 5 games and is currently top scorer of V-League 2011. The 22-year-old was the main subject of Vietnamese media during transfer window about his intention to leave Dong Thap. Both sides indeed reached an agreement to terminate his contract but Samson decided to stay at last minute. Now the Nigerian striker has repaid his club with top form for several weeks.

Samson Kayode is one of small number of foreign players playing in Vietnam since a young teenager. He started his professional career in Vietnam in 2007, at the age of 18. After 4 years, Samson has developed into a top player of V-league and is highly rated by pundits and other players.

V-League 2011: Round 5 Results

DT Long An v Binh Duong

Dong Thap v SLNA: 3-2
HAGL v Ha Noi T&T: 4-1
DT Long An v Binh Duong: 1-2
Khanh Hoa v Ninh Binh: 0-1
Thanh Hoa v Hai Phong: 1-1
SHB Da Nang v Ha Noi ACB: 3-1
Hoa Phat v Navibank Saigon: 2-0

English coaches apply for Vietnam job

David Booth

It is reported that the next head coach of Vietnam national team might be one of following names: Former Philippines coach Simon McMenemy, Bradford City manager Peter John Taylor and David Booth, who is currently under contract with Thai club Sisaket FC.

Ha Noi T&T trounced in Thailand

AFC Cup 2011:
Muang Thong United 4-0 Ha Noi T&T

Goodbye, Calisto!

VFF and Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto have held a press conference this afternoon to officially announced that they would terminate their current contract.

The Portuguese man will be much remembered as the one who won the first international title for Vietnam national team with AFF Cup 2008 victory. In the conference, he didn't reveal his next destination but media has linked him with Becamex Binh Duong, Muang Thong United, DT Long An and Ha Noi T&T.

Calisto to quit?

VFF vice-president Nguyen Lan Trung has confirmed about Henrique Calisto's wish to leave his post as head coach of Vietnam national team. The reason is the big pressure and criticism that the Portuguese coach has received from Vietnamese press since his team's failure at AFF Cup 2010. However, he is still under contract with VFF until March 2013. VFF and Calisto are now discussing for solution.

Without pride

I never like teams that don't give their best to play football and I must admit many Vietnamese clubs fall into this category. Some years ago, Vietnamese clubs used to send reserve players to play continental competitions and were always ready to suffer humiliating defeats. Their target was to be eliminated as quick as possible. Only three clubs that played with all their best were HAGL, DT Long An and Binh Duong. SHB Da Nang played pretty well last year but they are more remembered as the biggest loser ever of AFC Champions League with 0-15 defeat to Gamba Osaka in 2006.

SLNA, as expected, fielded a squad with many irregular starters this afternoon. Some of them haven't played any game in V-League 2011. This club have only themselves to blame for the defeat.

AFC Cup 2011
SLNA 1-2 TSW Pegasus