Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City FC have announced their plan to finalize a labor contract with former French national team player Paul-Georges Ntep next week for the 2023-24 V. League 1 season.

The length of the contract has not yet been specified, according to L’Équipe daily newspaper.

Paul-Georges Ntep has been a free agent since the end of his contract in 2022 with Boavista, a professional football club based in Porto, Portugal.

Ntep was born in Cameroon in 1992 and began his football career in France.

He represented France U18s to U21s before making his debut for the French national team in 2015.

The 31-year-old striker has had stints with several renowned French clubs, including Auxerre, Rennes, Saint-Étienne, and Guingamp.

In 2018, Ntep switched to playing for the Cameroon national team, where he participated in four matches and netted one goal.

Though his transfer fee reached a staggering 10 million euros (US$10.7 million) in 2015, his market value has since dropped to about €250,000 ($268,300).

Now, with his prime playing years arguably in the past, Ntep’s move to Ho Chi Minh City FC has garnered attention from the French media.

Last season, Ho Chi Minh City FC came close to relegation from the top-tier V. League 1, securing just a one-point lead over relegated side SHB Da Nang.

As the season ended, the Ho Chi Minh City-based club bid farewell to Victor Mansaray and Daniel Green in a bid to acquire more proficient foreign attackers.

The planned arrival of Ntep has thus generated significant anticipation for the team’s performance during the 2023-24 season, which is set to commence on October 20.

Before Ntep’s expected recruitment, Ho Chi Minh City FC had enlisted the services of overseas Vietnamese midfielder Pierre Lamothe, whose father is Canadian and mother is Vietnamese.

However, 26-year-old Lamothe is set to be placed on loan in the near future.

For the 2023-24 season, the team will bring in overseas Vietnamese goalkeeper Patrick Le Giang from Hanoi-based Cong An Hanoi FC, under a rule that allows each club to register only one overseas Vietnamese player.

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Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong’s opening goal broke the deadlock and helped hosts Vietnam win 2-0 in a friendly match with Palestine at Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh Province on Monday evening.

During the initial minutes, Palestine took an assertive approach, launching attacks and applying pressure on the host team. 

However, Vietnam’s defense exhibited a strong and well-structured performance, effectively thwarting their opponents’ attempts to reach goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu’s net.

In the 18th minute, Palestine had their first promising chance when Ali Abualfa broke free and confronted Dinh Trieu, but the Vietnamese goalkeeper successfully deflected the player’s shot.

Two minutes later, a lofted pass from midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai led to a tumultuous situation within the Palestine penalty box. 

Nguyen Hoang Duc seized an opportunity to take a shot, but the ball struck the foot of a Palestinian defender and went out.

Another noteworthy incident in the first half was Pham Trung Hieu and Trieu Viet Hung’s exit from the field in an ambulance due to injuries.

In the subsequent minutes, both teams had chances but failed to capitalize on them.

In the 61st minute, Vietnam broke the deadlock as Hoang Duc delivered a splendid through ball, enabling Cong Phuong to break free and calmly slot the ball past Palestine’s goalkeeper, Rami Hamada, giving Vietnam a 1-0 advantage.

Five minutes later, Hoang Duc executed an excellent pass for Pham Tuan Hai, who made an attempt but could not beat goalkeeper Hamada. 

However, Vietnam’s disappointment was short-lived, as in the 78th minute, Nguyen Van Toan swiftly penetrated the opponents’ penalty area and subsequently passed the ball to Tuan Hai, who made a shot into an empty net, extending Vietnam’s lead to 2-0.

Vietnam are scheduled to play away games against China on October 10, Uzbekistan on October 13, and South Korea on October 17.

These international friendlies are anticipated to provide valuable opportunities for players to sharpen their skills ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying and 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaigns.

During the second AFC qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expected to be played from November 16 to June 11, 2024, Vietnam are in Group F alongside Iraq, the Philippines, and the victors of the match between Indonesia and Brunei.

In the forthcoming final round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, set to take place from January 12 to February 10, 2024, the Vietnamese team have been assigned to Group D, along with Japan, Indonesia, and Iraq.

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NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic would not let Daniil Medvedev spoil his date with history a second time as he battled past the Russian 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 to win the U.S. Open on Sunday and equal Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Grand Slams.

Djokovic’s victory, his fourth in 10 Flushing Meadows finals, capped another remarkable season after his wins at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and he will return to the top of the world rankings when they are updated later on Monday.

No man has won a calendar Grand Slam in 54 years, though Djokovic came close once again, losing in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.

But for the moment he is savouring his 24th Slam.

“It obviously means the world to me,” he said. “I’m really living my childhood dream.

“To make the history of this sport is something truly remarkable, it’s hard to describe the words.

“I had the childhood dream when I was seven, eight, I wanted to become the best player in the world.”

As he continues to live his dream Djokovic is also staking his claim to the mantle of greatest tennis player of all time.

At 36 Djokovic also becomes the oldest U.S. Open men’s winner in the Open Era but the Serb’s Grand Slam hunger has not dimmed and he had some bad news for his younger rivals.

“Eventually one day I will leave tennis in about 23, 24 years,” he joked. “Until then, I guess you’ll see me a bit more.

“I don’t put any number right now in my mind on how many Slams I want to win.

“I’ll continue to prioritize them as my most important tournaments and where I want to play the best tennis.”

Kobe tribute

After clinching his historic title on Sunday Djokovic threw his racquet into the air and dropped to his knees as the crowd roared.

He picked himself up and found his young daughter court-side for an emotional hug before going back to the bench and pulling out a T-shirt with ‘Mamba Forever’ on the front and the number 24 on the back.

The shirt was a tribute to both his achievement and to his late friend Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who wore the number throughout much of his all-star career before dying in a helicopter crash.

“I thought of doing this T-shirt, eventually, if I get the chance to win the tournament,” said Djokovic. “Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality.

“When I was struggling with injury he was one of the people I relied on the most.”

Neither Djokovic nor Medvedev have been fully embraced by the New York crowds and until the end of the match there was little of the electricity that crackled through Arthur Ashe during the women’s final on Saturday.

As the match started Djokovic walked out onto court and stared across the net at Medvedev, the man once again standing between him and history just as he had two years ago.

The last time the two clashed at the U.S. Open was in the 2021 final, when the Russian captured his only major and denied the Serb that elusive calendar Grand Slam.

Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 10, 2023 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with the trophy after winning the U.S. Open beside second place Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. Photo: Reuters

Djokovic did not speak of revenge on the road to the final and only referenced that loss as a learning experience.

“I haven’t played any tournament on American soil for two years,” said Djokovic, who missed last year’s Slam due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“I really did my best in the last 48 hours not to allow the importance of the moment and what’s on the line get to my head.

“Two years ago that’s what happened and I wasn’t able to be at my best and I was outplayed.

“So I learned my lesson.”

Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 10, 2023 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in action during his final match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. Photo: Reuters

Killer instinct

As expected of a contest featuring the sport’s two premier hardcourt players, almost every point was contested with long rallies as both men pounded away from the baseline.

Djokovic came out playing with purpose and applied pressure right away, breaking the third seed at the first opportunity on his way to a 3-0 lead.

That would be the only break Djokovic would need against a surprisingly flat Medvedev, who could not raise his play to the “12 out of 10” level he said he reached in beating defending champion Alcaraz in the semi-finals.

During a marathon one hour and 44 minute, lung-bursting second set Medvedev came to life, forcing a faltering Djokovic into long grinding point after long grinding point.

Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 10, 2023 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action during his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. Photo: Reuters

But the tireless Russian’s hard work failed to pay dividends and he was unable to convert a break chance at 6-5 that would have given him the set.

Medvedev charged in front 3-1 in the tie-break but again could not land the knockout blow as Djokovic came off the ropes to take it 7-5 for a 2-0 lead.

If there is one thing Djokovic possesses it is a killer instinct and the Serb wasted no time in pressing home his advantage, breaking Medvedev to go up 3-1 in the third.

A defiant Medvedev answered with his first and only break of the match but it was not enough with Djokovic hitting right back with another break then holding serve the rest of way to clinch the title.