Binh Duong welcomed their former coach Dant Tran Chinh back to the helm with a 3-1 home win over Navibank Saigon at the Go Dau Stadium in a V-League 14th round match on Sunday.

The hosts led 3-0 after fifteen minutes and the visitors from Ho Chi Minh City could only manage a consolation goal 15 minutes from time.

The win lifted Binh Duong four places to sixth position and Navibank Saigon slid one place to eighth.

Chinh had taken over as Binh Duong’s coach in V-League’s eighth round last year, but left in the 18th because he didn’t please some favorite players in the team. His return at this juncture means he will have a freer hand in forging a strong team that previously won two consecutive V-League championships in 2007 and 2008.

Huynh Van Anh, new coach of the 2003-04 champs Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL), couldn’t take a win, but the 1-1 away draw with Dong Thap at Cao Lanh Stadium in the Mekong Delta was a success of sorts for the visitors from the Central Higlands.

HAGL climbed two places to ninth with 16 points while Dong Thap remained in third spot with 24 points.

The matches between reigning champs Hanoi T&T and Thanh Hoa and between Hai Phong and 2005-06 champs Dong Tam Long An (DTLA) ended in scoreless draws.

Thanh Hoa and Hanoi T&T remained in fourth and fifth places with 22 and 21 points respectively while DTLA were stuck to the bottom with 11 points. Hai Phong slid one spot to 13th place with 13 points.

2001 champs Song Lam Nghe An stayed on top with 32 points after a 4-0 home win at Vinh Stadium over Khanh Hoa, who fell one spot to seventh.

SLNA’s closest rivals this season, Da Nang, remained in second place with 28 points after a 4-0 away win over Ninh Binh, who dropped two places to 10th with 15 points.

The home defeat infuriated Ninh Binh boss Hoang Manh Truong who fired coach Nguyen Van Sy soon afterwards.

On Saturday, Hanoi ACB took a dramatic 3-2 win at home over neighbors Hoa Phat Hanoi at the Hang Day Stadium. Hanoi ACB climbed one place to 12th  position with 13 points while Hoa Phat Hanoi with 15 points fell two places to 11th.