HAGL lost their third consecutive match in the V-League 2017.

Cong Phuong and his teammates remain at the bottom of the 2017 national championship table after a 0-3 defeat away to Hanoi FC on the afternoon of January 18th.

Three days before his birthday, Cong Phuong suffered a heavy defeat.

Goals: Hoang Vu Samson 9', 48', Silva 58'

During the away match against Hanoi, coach Nguyen Quoc Tuan decided to move Cong Phuong to play in midfield and also gave him the captain's armband. In the stands, hundreds of visiting fans chanted the striker's name, wishing him a happy birthday three days in advance. However, that encouragement was not enough to inspire Cong Phuong. The former captain of the Vietnam U19 team continued to play poorly, just like in the two losses against Da Nang and Hai Phong.

Vietnam national team defender Vu Van Thanh was deployed as a striker in this match. However, this bold move by the team from the mountainous region did not yield results, as the 1996-born player was completely invisible against Hanoi's experienced defense.

The home team's defenders performed their duties excellently, successfully neutralizing HAGL's key attacking players. Meanwhile, the defending champions' strikers were equally impressive, scoring three goals against their opponents.

Hanoi got off to a good start with an early opening goal thanks to a simple combination. Following a long pass from Silva, Gonzalo headed the ball to Hoàng Vũ Samson, who unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner of Tô Vĩnh Lợi's net. After a long period of treatment for a lung-related illness, the naturalized player for Hanoi returned in full strength. He completed his brace just three minutes into the second half.

HAGL has yet to earn any points in the V-League 2017.

Leading by two goals, Hanoi showed no intention of stopping. The capital city team continuously launched attacks, pushing HAGL into a difficult defensive position. The third goal for the home team came as an inevitability, scored by Silva with an accurate header.

By defeating HAGL, Hanoi overtook Hai Phong to move into second place. Both teams have six points after three matches, but the defending champions have a better goal difference. Meanwhile, HAGL remains at the bottom, having lost all three matches, scoring only one goal and conceding six.

According to VNE