Vietexplorer2024

Brandon ‘The Sheriff’ Du Plessis retained his UFC middleweight title with a comprehensive victory over challenger Sean Strickland in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The 31-year-old extended his impressive win-loss record to 23-2, firmly establishing himself as the premier 185-pound fighter in mixed martial arts today. Du Plessis initially claimed the belt from Strickland in a closely contested split decision in their first meeting in Toronto in January of last year, which the polarizing American vehemently disputed. Since then, the South African champion has successfully defended his title against the Nigeria-born contender, Israel Adesanya, in August, while Strickland rebounded with a tepid defeat of Brazil’s Paulo Costa, setting the stage for their highly anticipated rematch. “Facing a formidable opponent like Strickland, attempting a knockout is next to impossible,” acknowledged Du Plessis, the first South African to hold a UFC championship belt. “I would’ve loved to continue excha...

Huu Tin Company has secured the broadcast rights for the J1 League in Vietnam until 2027, bringing high-quality Japanese football action to Vietnamese audiences. Live matches will be aired on the HTV The Thao channel in the afternoon, providing a convenient and exciting viewing experience for football enthusiasts in Vietnam. With ideal broadcast timings and a promise of thrilling encounters, the J1 League is poised to become a favorite among Vietnamese fans. It also offers a window into Japanese culture, providing a unique perspective for those passionate about football and Asian culture alike. “Our goal in bringing the J1 League to Vietnam is twofold,” said Nguyen Hoang Duy, representative of Huu Tin Company. “Firstly, we want to offer a premier football tournament to our audiences, and secondly, we believe it will be a valuable learning opportunity for Vietnamese football to draw inspiration from the strengths of Japanese football.” Nguyen Dinh Khoi, head of HTV’s sports departme...

An official confirmed that while an agreement has been reached regarding the renewable extension of Ronaldo’s contract, it has not yet been signed. An announcement is expected in the coming days. Ronaldo, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday, is currently contracted with Al Nassr until June 2025. The football icon, known for his stints with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, joined Al Nassr in January 2023. Since then, he has been on a remarkable goalscoring run, netting 82 times in 90 appearances. In August, Ronaldo pledged his commitment to Al Nassr, stating his intention to remain with the club until the end of his professional career, whenever that may be. He added that it would likely be with Al Nassr, a team that brings him happiness and a sense of belonging. Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr in Riyadh two years ago was seen as a surprising choice, as he traded the spotlight for a less prominent football scene. The deal was reportedly worth $250 million. However, hi...

On the morning of Thursday last week, a meeting was convened between tournament organizers and the Vietnamese cycling team to address the truck fire that caused extensive damage to their equipment. A mutual agreement was reached, wherein the Vietnamese team would borrow bikes from the host team and other participating teams for the duration of the competition. Additionally, the organizers took initiative by gathering information about the cyclists’ sizes, as well as their needs for helmets and shoes, to ensure they were provided with suitable gear. Thailand’s Vietnam Motorcycle and Bicycle Association has stepped up to the challenge, offering seven individual time trial bikes and helmets for the Vietnamese team’s use, along with ongoing efforts to procure shoes and pedals by Thursday. In parallel, the association is expediting the shipment of road bikes from Vietnam, expected to arrive in Thailand on February 10, ensuring a timely solution. A critical aspect of the meeting was the...

The unexpected success of Morocco in reaching the 2022 World Cup semi-finals has sparked a wave of optimism across the continent, with many believing that an African nation lifting the trophy is no longer a distant dream. Benjamin Balkin, co-founder of Eyeball, a digital platform launched in 2020, shares this sentiment and believes that his platform could be a pivotal factor in making this a reality. Describing himself light-heartedly as a “failed footballer,” Balkin’s own experiences as a youth player at Monaco, where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Yaya Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor, fueled his passion for creating a platform that showcases talent that might otherwise be overlooked. This passion led to Eyeball’s investment in the United Future League, an Under-19 championship for Senegalese academies, as well as providing video cameras to 5,000 youth coaches worldwide. The coaches film training sessions and tag individual players, with the footage then uploaded to the platform....

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), stands accused of sexual assault and attempting to coerce Jennifer Hermoso, a prominent Spanish footballer, into declaring that a kiss between them was consensual. The incident, which occurred during the 2023 Women’s World Cup celebrations, sparked outrage and brought to light issues of sexism and inequality in Spanish football. The controversy surrounding Rubiales’ actions overshadowed the Spanish women’s team’s triumph in Australia and galvanized a “Me Too” movement within the sport. Rubiales, along with other RFEF officials, including former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, is alleged to have pressured Hermoso to downplay the incident. The prosecution seeks a 2-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales, although a sentence under two years could be commuted to damages if there are no prior convictions. Protesters gathered in Madrid to show their support for Jennifer Hermoso and spe...

A thrilling night of football saw 18 teams battle it out in the final group matchday of the competition’s new format. With a stacked goal tally, the night concluded with the traditional powerhouses remaining undefeated. Liverpool and Barcelona shone as the only teams assured of a spot in the top eight, progressing directly to the round of 16. Despite Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven and Barca’s 2-2 draw with Atalanta, they maintained their first and second rankings, respectively. Joining them in the next round are Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, and Lille. Lille, in particular, delivered the performance of the night, thrashing Feyenoord 6-1. Manchester City, the 2023 European champions, faced a challenging first half at the Etihad. However, they bounced back in the second half, with goals from Mateo Kovacic, Joel Ordonez (own goal), and Savinho securing their progression. PSG, starting in 22nd place, swiftly rose to the occasion, racing to...

Roberto Martinez’s successor has been named, and it’s none other than Rudi Garcia. The Belgian football association has appointed the Frenchman as their new boss, choosing him over competitors like Thierry Henry, Julen Lopetegui, and Mark van Bommel. This announcement came earlier in the day, marking an exciting new chapter for Belgian football. At 60 years old, Garcia brings a wealth of experience to the table. He has previously coached notable clubs like Napoli, Lyon, and Roma, and his task now is to convince Thibaut Courtois to return to the national team. Courtois, who is considered by Garcia as the best goalkeeper in the world, had self-exiled himself due to differences with former coach Domenico Tedesco. Garcia, addressing the media during his unveiling, expressed his confidence in Courtois’ quality and shared his optimism about initial positive signals from the goalkeeper. While Matz Sels and Koen Casteels are capable options, getting Courtois back would be a massive boost for...

The Hanoi Police FC, managed by the Hanoi Department of Public Security, started the match strongly with a goal from midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai in the 10th minute. The player skillfully controlled a long pass from his teammate before finishing decisively. Both teams then engaged in an open, attacking game, creating an exciting contest. Kuala Lumpur, however, found an equalizer in the 24th minute through Adrijan Rudovic’s header from a corner kick. The Malaysian team took the lead just eight minutes later. A delicate header from Paulo Josue beat the Hanoi goalkeeper, Nguyen Filip, putting the score at 2-1. After halftime, coach Alexandre Polking made strategic adjustments to the lineup, which paid dividends. Cong An Hanoi came out with renewed energy and improved performance in the second half. Their efforts were rewarded in the 67th minute when Bui Hoang Viet Anh scored from a corner kick, equalizing the match at 2-2. As the game intensified, Kuala Lumpur adopted an aggressive ap...

Novak Djokovic declined to participate in the customary on-court interview following his fourth-round victory over Jiri Lehecka on Sunday, pending a public apology from Alan Jones and Australian broadcast rights holders, Channel Nine . This came after Jones mocked Djokovic and Serbian fans who had gathered outside the broadcast booth at Melbourne Park, stating that the 24-time Grand Slam champion was “over-rated” and a “has-been.” In a Channel Nine interview on Monday, Jones reflected on the incident, describing his comments as “banter” and expressing his regret over any offense caused. He mentioned that he had immediately offered a private apology to Djokovic’s team once he realized his words had not been taken lightly. “I stand by my apology to Novak,” Jones asserted. “I also want to extend my apologies to the Serbian fans with whom we’ve built a wonderful rapport. I intended my comments as a continuation of our lighthearted banter, but it’s clear that they were not received in th...

With two consecutive wins under their belt, the team had already guaranteed their advancement before the game. The match against Taiwan, therefore, served as a decisive battle to crown the Group D category champions. The game commenced with Taiwan seizing an early lead in the initial 10 minutes, prompting a swift timeout from Vietnamese head coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang. Displaying resilience and tactical prowess, Vietnam responded magnificently, equalizing just a minute later. The goal was a testament to their teamwork, as Thuy Trang’s precise pass found Bien Thi Hang on the right wing. Hang then demonstrated her vision, delivering a perfect cross to Thanh Ngan, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net. However, Taiwan struck back in the 17th minute, capitalizing on a corner kick. Su Hui Chi’s delivery was deftly flicked on by Lin Dai Chi, creating the opportunity for Liu Chih Ling to slot home from close range. Vietnamese athlete Thuy Trang (in red) showcases her pro...

Thanh Hoa FC, known as Dong A Thanh Hoa, is a Vietnamese professional football club competing in the V.League 1, the country’s premier football league. On Wednesday evening, the club visited BG Pathum United’s BG Stadium in Pathum Thani Province, central Thailand, for their third group-stage match in the 2024-25 ASEAN Club Championship. During the match, a corner kick in the 70th minute led to a scoring opportunity for Thanh Hoa FC. BG Pathum United’s defense failed to clear the ball from the penalty area, allowing Doan Ngoc Tan, a recent winner of the 2024 ASEAN Championship with Vietnam, to strike with the outside of his right foot and find the back of the net. It was a beautiful goal, and the first of the game. However, BG Pathum United showed their resilience. After conceding the unexpected goal, they intensified their attack and were rewarded in the 87th minute when Sanchai Nontasila equalized, making it 1-1. The match then opened up, with both teams adopting a more attacking st...

Hong Le, the gold medalist at the 2021 National Athletics Championship, joined goalkeeper-turned-content creator Nick Q Tran and a host of renowned athletes and runners from the Vietnamese running community as adidas unveiled its latest Adizero lineup, headlined by the Adios Pro 4 and Adizero Evo SL. Since its debut in 2020, adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro series has been a dominant force on the podium, gracing the feet of more World Marathon Majors winning athletes than any other brand. Building on this impressive legacy, adidas is now ushering in a new era of speed with the launch of the Adizero Adios Pro 4 and its training counterpart, the Adizero Evo SL. Designed for optimal performance on race day, the Adios Pro 4 is a pinnacle racing shoe. Meanwhile, the Evo SL, inspired by the record-breaking Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, is a fast-paced training shoe that offers athletes the perfect blend of support and responsiveness during their race preparation. These new additions to t...

**Supachok Sarachat’s Controversial Goal Leads Fan Vote for 2024 ASEAN Championship’s Best Goal** The ongoing fan vote for the Best Goal of the 2024 ASEAN Championship has sparked interest, with Supachok Sarachat’s controversial goal against Vietnam taking the lead in the polls. As of Tuesday afternoon, the official tournament website saw an impressive 7,811 votes cast in the poll, which opened that morning. Out of 10 shortlisted goals, Supachok’s strike dominated with a substantial 81.41% of the votes. In contrast, Vietnamese striker Nguyen Xuan Son’s goal from the first leg of the final garnered 18.13% of the total votes. The remaining goals trailed significantly, with Shawal Anuar, Joao Pedro, Bjorn Martin Kristensen, and Faris Ramli all receiving less than 1% of the votes. The other contenders, including goals by Sandro Reyes, Abdel Kader Coulibaly, and Syafiq Ahmad, received minimal support, with each earning less than 0.05% of the votes. With this overwhelming response,...