Da Nang player in wheelchair after match against SLNA

Midfielder Anh Khoa may need surgery due to a brutal tackle by Que Ngoc Hai during the V-League 2015 Round 25 match last weekend.

Khoa was using crutches when the team arrived back in Da Nang today. Photo: Huy Vo.

The match at Vinh Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw. However, the most noteworthy incident so far was a ball爭奪 (ball爭奪) in the 21st minute. Midfielder Anh Khoa, attempting to penetrate close to the SLNA penalty area, was tackled in the knee by center-back Ngoc Hai with both feet. The visiting player was then unable to continue playing and had to leave the field on a stretcher. Speaking to VnExpress, coach Le Huynh Duc expressed his frustration: “For a play like that, the referee only issued a yellow card. What saddens me even more is that Ngoc Hai is a national team player, yet he doesn't know how to respect his fellow players.”

After their flight was delayed due to storms, Coach Le Huynh Duc and his team arrived back in Da Nang this afternoon, September 15th. "Mr. Khoa now has to use a wheelchair or crutches to get around. His knee is still swollen and has fluid buildup, so he can't have an X-ray," he said.

According to the diagnosis of the Da Nang team doctor, it is highly likely that this player has torn his knee ligaments and will need surgery.

For his part, Ngoc Hai affirmed that he had no intention of hurting his teammate. "When I saw the opponent preparing to enter the penalty area, I rushed out with the sole thought of clearing the ball out of bounds. It was a 50/50 chance, and unfortunately, it caused a collision with Anh Khoa. As fellow professionals, I feel guilty, but my conscience is clear because I didn't do it intentionally," the central defender of the Vietnamese national team and SLNA emphasized. "After the match, I checked on him and recently called Anh Khoa. He said his knee is prone to injury, so even a slight collision can be dangerous. I apologized and hope he recovers soon."

Besides the aforementioned collision, the penultimate round match also featured several other unsportsmanlike incidents. In the 50th minute, SLNA midfielder Tran Phi Son fouled Van Hoc, seemingly in retaliation for the opposing team's defender's earlier foul. About three minutes later, Ngoc Toan received his second yellow card and was sent off for a two-footed tackle on a Da Nang player.

"This match should have had three red cards for the SLNA players. They played too roughly. Many of them are national team players, and playing like that is unacceptable. I've spoken about this many times, but the V-League organizers don't seem to be able to resolve it," Coach Huynh Duc emphasized.

According to VNE