LookAtVietnam – National team goalkeeper Duong Hong Son and striker Do Thi Ngoc Cham yesterday won their first Golden Ball awards for outstanding contributions to Vietnamese men’s and women’s football in the year 2008.

National team goalkeeper Duong Hong Son and striker Do Thi Ngoc Cham won their first Golden Ball awards for outstanding contributions to Vietnamese men’s and women’s football in the year 2008. (Photo: VNN)

Becamex Binh Duong Football Club defender Vu Nhu Thanh placed second for the Silver Ball while striker Le Cong Vinh ranked third for the Bronze Ball award.

It is the first time since 2001 and the second time in the award’s history that a goalkeeper has been the winner, the other being Vo Van Hanh, born in central Phu Yen Province, who won the Golden Ball in 2001 when he played for Song Lam Nghe An.

Hanh, 35 now plays for SHB Da Nang.

Son, who was chosen as the Most Valuable Player at the ASEAN Football Championship AFF-Suzuki Cup in Thailand, was the key to Viet Nam’s success in the tournament from the semi-finals onwards.

Against Singapore in the second leg semi-final, he performed brilliantly and stopped numerous attempts from the strikers; he was also on form in the two-leg final against Thailand in Bangkok and Ha Noi last December, stopping several point-blank efforts.

Son also helped his club get promoted to the V-League, Viet Nam’s premier football league last year.

There will be some disappointment that Thanh didn’t win the Golden Ball this time. Thanh won the V-League title and the Super Cup for two years in succession with Becamex Binh Duong. He is also the only Vietnamese player in the shortlist of 43 Asian players in the running for the best footballer of Asia award.

Vinh, who was voted as the Best Player of the Year by fans nationwide two weeks ago in a poll by the Bong Da (Football) newspaper, could not overtake the national team’s ex-striker Le Huynh Duc, who was the victor in 1995, 1997 and 2002, to become the first winner of four Golden Balls since the prize made its debut in 1995.

Last year, the Nghe An-born striker received the Golden Ball for the third time, levelling with former national forward Le Huynh Duc, who is coach of V-League SHB Da Nang Hanoian striker Do Thi Ngoc Cham, 24, from Ha Noi, won the Golden Ball for the first time.

Cham, who was also voted as the Best Player of the Year by fans nationwide two weeks ago in a poll by Bong Da newspaper, was the women’s national team’s main striker in all competitions last year including the Asian Championship.

Cham made great contributions to the national team’s second place position at the Southeast Asian Women’s Championship in Viet Nam, behind power-house Australia.

The Ha Noi-born striker was also the key factor in Ha Noi’s victory at the Women’s Football Championship last year when she was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and top scorer with six goals.

The Silver Ball went to Dao Thi Mien of Hoa Hop Ha Noi, while winger Tran Thi Kim Hong from HCM City bagged the Bronze Ball.

Earlier this month, the winners of Junior Footballer and Foreign Player of the Year were announced, with midfielder Pham Thanh Luong of Ha Noi ACB and Brazilian striker Almeida Jose De Emidio of SHB Da Nang taking the honours.

The Golden Ball award is celebrating its 15th anniversary next year. The first one was won by the national team’s former striker, Le Huynh Duc, in 1995, when he played for former HCM Police team.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News