The Vietnamese Football Federation has imposed two-year bans on two players and suspended a coach for three years after their team was involved in a bizarre penalty protest during a league match at the weekend.
Long An players were furious at a late penalty awarded by referee Nguyen Trung Thu to Ho Chi Minh City when the score was locked 2-2 late on Sunday.
After initially walking off the pitch, the players returned to the field but goalkeeper Nguyen Minh Nhut turned his back as the penalty was taken, conceding a goal.
VFF have banned Long An GK Minh Nhựt & Captain Quang Thanh for 2 years for refusing to play on against HCMC #vleague pic.twitter.com/JbltSErJmP
- Vietnam football (@soccervietnam) February 22, 2017
The whole team then stood motionless and allowed Ho Chi Minh City to score two more goals as the margin blew out to 5-2.
In a statement, the VFF said that Mimh Nhut and captain Huynh Quang Thanh would banned for 24 months "due to disrupting the match, not respecting the decision of the referee and causing damage to the reputation and honor of the Vietnam Football Federation."
Coach Ngo Quang Sang has been banned for three years, as has club chairman Vo Thanh Nhiem, who quit following the game.