MerryLand Quy Nhon Binh Dinh managed to plunder themselves a 4-2 win away at league leaders Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in Friday's 2023/24 V.League 1 action to keep themselves well within touching distance of the league's top three teams.
The win meant that Binh Dinh became the first team to do the double over a Nam Dinh side leading the Vietnamese top-flight this season, having edged out the Knights of Thanh Nam 2-1 in their first meeting at Quy Nhon back in February.
At the 15th minute mark, Leo Artur delivered a pinpoint cross from the left flank to the far post where Nguyen Van Duc quietly slid in to open the scoring.
Fifteen minutes later Nam Dinh struck back thanks to a defensive error from Binh Dinh's Trinh Duc Loi, which allowed Nguyen Van Toan to penetrate his way into the box. Another Binh Dinh player in Phan Ngoc Tin tried to clear the ball away however he inadvertantly fed the ball to Nam Dinh's Brazilian striker Hendrio, who slammed home from range past Dang Van Lam in the Binh Dinh goal into the top right corner.
The away side the nregained the lead in the 53rd minute. Leo's accurate corner kick from the right wing found Alan rising high to head the ball into the top right corner, extending the lead to 2-1. Nine minutes later, the Brazilian forward cleverly flicked the ball in the box for Van Duc to smoothly set up Do Van Thuan for the third goal.
Hendrio once again pulled one back for Nam Dinh in the 66th minute after he had curled the ball into Van Lam's goal following a Van Toan free-kick, however Binh Dinh sealed the win in the 74th minute. Leo dribbled down the left flank, bypassing Tran Van Kien, and then elegantly chipped the ball over Binh Dinh goalie Tran Nguyen Manh.
The lost did not affect Nam Dinh's spot at the top of the V.League 1 table, however second-placed Cong An Ha Noi managed to shave their advantage to a mere four points thanks to a 2-0 home win over strugglers Song Lam Nghe An.
Binh Dinh, on the other hand, are fourth in the league table, two points away from Becamex Binh Duong in third.
