Vietnam tops Asian Volleyball Championship’s group A; Hoang Anh Gia Lai sponsors 25th SEA Games; Binh Duong target AFC Cup; Anh breaks away for third stage win

The host, who won the International Women’s Volleyball Tournament-VTV Cup last month, began the match with strong attack to cruise to a 25-13 win in the first set.

Playing against the weaker rival, Vietnam easily dominated the second and third sets with 25-17 and 25-21 to complete the match 3-0 after one-hour competition.

Earlier, Vietnam also beat Australia and Iran 3-0.

The team will play against much stronger rivals Kazakhstan on September 9 and China on September 10.

Coach Thai Thanh Tung said the Vietnam team will try its best to satisfy its fans.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai sponsors 25th SEA Games

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Joint Stock Company has become the main donor for the 25th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) to be held in Laos in December 2009.

The Company granted US$5 million to help Laos host the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia.

The Lao Government praised the valuable assistance from Hoang Anh Gia Lai, declaring it a significant to boost cooperation between the two countries.

Binh Duong target AFC Cup

Becamex Binh Duong are training to meet Thailand’s Chonburi in next Tuesday’s final first leg of the Asian Football Confederation Cup.

Coach Mai Duc Trung said that he plans to keep the players who get through to the qualifying round, except for Nhu Thanh and Duc Thien, who are injured.

In terms of his foreign players, centre Helio Da Silva Assis will be replaced by Osita Egbo who has ended his contract with Thanh Hoa and striker Molina will replace Kesley Huynh.

Chung said that Thailand’s Chonburi are on an equal footing.

Despite losing the V-League title to SHB Da Nang, Binh Duong is the first Vietnamese club to reach the AFC Cup quarter-finals.

Chonburi, coached by Thai Kiatisak Senamuang, were top of group G, while Binh Duong topped group H.

The quarter-finals will be played next Tuesday and on September 30.

Anh breaks away for third stage win

Domesco Dong Thap team’s Do Tuan Anh clinched a third stage win in the 2009 Mekong Delta Tour- Vinaphone Cup.

Tuan Anh, a member of the national team, was part of a nine-man break that broke away from the main pack after only 20 kilometers in the 109 kilometers stage from Tieu Can District in Tra Vinh Province to bac Binh Minh District in Vinh Long province.

Another national rider, Nguyen Nam Cuc from Saigon, was second, only one bike length after Anh and Ho Chi Minh City’s Le Nguyet Minh came in third fine weather.

Nguyen Van Tai kept the yellow jersey when his closest challengers Dang Ngoc Tu and Truong Nguyen Thanh Nhan crossed the finishing line in the main pack.

Bui Minh Thuy keeps the green jersey, although the 24-year-old Tuan Anh has closed the gap to just one point and Le Van Quynh is just two points away from second place in points.

The Military Zone team came first, Saigon Plant Protection II finished second and Sai Gon Plant Protection 1 was third.

The 18th tour, which is all on the flat, travels through nine provinces and cities before finishing on September 9 in Long Xuyen City in An Giang Province.

PV