Andrew Opara struck twice to keep Huda Hue’s slim hopes of climbing out of the relegation zone alive and sink the visiting Hoa Phat Ha Noi deeper into the bottom three.
The host side’s manager, Doan Phung, opted for an aggressive 4-4-2 formation, with Van Minh and Tuan Vu taking turns to play as the third frontman behind the strikers Abiodun and Opara.
Hoa Phat Ha Noi boss Vuong Tien Dung, by contrast, opted for a cautious 4-5-1 formation and only had Das Silva in the frontline.
Ignoring the heavy rain at Tu Do Stadium, both sides went all out in their quest for goals, realizing full well their precarious positions in the league ladder’s danger zone.
The visitors had a dream start by taking the lead in the first attack five minutes after kick-off. Anh Cuong won the ball from Huda Hue defender Thanh Tuan before feeding Das Silva, who curled the ball home with a crisp finish from inside the penalty area.
Taking the early hit did not put off the host side and they restored the balance ten minutes later when Andrew delicately converted a set-piece free kick.
The northerners almost stunned the host fans into silence one minute after the break when Das Silva blasted a powerful shot from outside the six-yard box only to see the ball sail an inch wide of the post.
Huda Hue replied soon after with Abiodun powering a close-range shot narrowly wide and Van Minh’s finish from inside the penalty area beating goalie Manh Dung but finding the wrong side of the post.
With seven minutes to go, Opara became the home team’s hero when he outjumped the opponents to head the ball home from a left-wing cross by Cuu Phu.
The visitors threw everything at Huda Hue in the remaining time but could not break their resolute hosts, who were applauded by their fans after the match even as the rain soaked the crowd.
Huda Hue: Duc Hanh, Dong Phuong, Thanh The, Van Minh, Thanh Tuan, Canh Lam, Marcelo Barbieri, Andrew Opara, Abiodun, Viet Anh, Tuan Vu
Hoa Phat Ha Noi: Manh Dung, Van Luu, Getare Anphonse, Ngoc Tu, Tien Dung, Sy Cuong, Cong Manh, Antonio Paldiha, Anh Cuong, Van Hien, Das Silva.
The V-League Petro Viet Nam Gas 2007 Table:
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts | |
| 1 | BECAMEX BINH DUONG | 18 |
12 | 5 | 1 | 41 |
| 2 | HOANG ANH GIA LAI | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 28 |
| 3 | DA NANG | 18 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 28 |
| 4 | HALIDA THANH HOA | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 28 |
| 5 | PISICO BINH DINH | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 26 |
| 6 | NAM DINH | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 25 |
| 7 | DONG TAM LONG AN | 18 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 24 |
| 8 | SONG LAM NGHE AN | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 23 |
| 9 | SOUTHERN STEEL SAIGON PORT | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 21 |
| 10 | KHATOCO KHANH HOA | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 21 |
| 11 | HA NOI ACB | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 |
| 12 | DONG THAP | 18 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 18 |
| 13 | HOA PHAT HA NOI | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 |
| 14 | HUDA HUE | 18 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 15 |
