
On the evening of October 20th, in the 2024-2025 National Cup qualifiers, Ninh Binh FC drew 0-0 with Ho Chi Minh City FC after 90 minutes of regulation time. In the penalty shootout, Dang Van Lam made two crucial saves to secure victory for Ninh Binh.
The match was interrupted for about 30 minutes due to heavy rain, which significantly impacted the quality of play. The waterlogged pitch made it difficult for both teams to execute short passes, forcing them to rely on long balls, which led to a lack of offensive breakthroughs.
Before the end of the first half, Ninh Binh head coach Nguyen Viet Thang made an early substitution to bolster the attack, bringing on young player Pham Gia Hung, who had previously impressed during his stint with Hanoi Police FC.
In the second half, Ho Chi Minh City FC coach Phung Thanh Phuong also made some personnel changes, but the match continued to be dominated by long balls and failed individual efforts. Both teams struggled to create clear chances, as their attempts to break through were hampered by their opponents—and the waterlogged field.
In the 80th minute, Ninh Binh’s Nguyen Thanh Loc received his second yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Bui Ngoc Long, reducing Ninh Binh to 10 men. Ho Chi Minh City FC quickly seized the opportunity, increasing pressure on goalkeeper Van Lam. In the 83rd minute, Adriano Schmidt had a close-range shot, but Van Lam reacted swiftly to deny the attempt. Ho Chi Minh City FC continued to press, but they couldn’t create any clear scoring chances, leaving the score goalless after 90 minutes.
The match went to a penalty shootout, where Ninh Binh triumphed 4-3, thanks to the heroics of Dang Van Lam. After Thanh Thinh missed his penalty, the Vietnam national team goalkeeper saved two shots to help the First Division side advance to the next round.
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