Da Nang and Ninh Binh will end the first half of the V-League and First Division leagues well clear of their opponents at the top of the table.

In the V-League match, striker Nguyen Quang Hai put Khanh Hoa in front after six minutes but Merlo Gaston equalized the score for the visitors just three minutes later.

Khanh Hoa took the lead again with Hai’s second goal in the 62nd minute but Almeida scored the equalizer for the visitors 10 minutes later before his teammate Molina Eduardo decided the issue in favor of Da Nang with a goal in the 72^nd minute.

Da Nang now has 27 points, five points clear of second-placed Khanh Hoa.

In other V-League matches, Dong Thap climbed one place to third after a 3-all away draw with Thanh Hoa, thanks to a hat-trick by striker Samson. Thanh Hoa remained in 11th position.

Song Lam Nghe An jumped four places to fourth after defeating T&T Hanoi 2-1 at home at Vinh Stadium, while the visitors fell three places to 13th, just above Nam Dinh who remained at the bottom after a 1-1 away draw with 12th placed HCMC Club.

The Cong and Hai Phong both took 2-1 home wins over Dong Tam Long An and Fourth Military Zone. The Cong jumped three places to 10th and Hai Phong remained in ninth place while Fourth Military Zone and DTLA fell three and two places to sixth and seventh respectively.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai jumped two places to fifth after coming from a goal behind to defeat defending champs Binh Duong who dropped two places to eighth.

In the second-flight First Division, Ninh Binh took a 1-0 away win over Tay Ninh Saturday to remain atop the league with 27 points. Ninh Binh is now six points clear of Binh Dinh.

There is one more round to go in both leagues before the first half of the season ends.

Reported by Thanh Nien staff