In a thrilling match on November 20, 2024, Nam Dinh FC, the defending champions, secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Binh Duong at Go Dau Stadium, thanks to a remarkable hat-trick from striker Nguyen Xuan Son.
Heading into the match, Nam Dinh was considered the stronger side, boasting a lineup that included three foreign players and the in-form Nguyen Xuan Son. Meanwhile, Binh Duong opted to leave key foreign players, including forward Wailington Nem and center-back Janclesio, on the bench. This decision backfired early in the game.
In the 16th minute, a defensive lapse by Binh Duong led to Nam Dinh’s first goal. Ho Tan Tai, filling in for Janclesio, made a weak clearance, allowing Ly Cong Hoang Anh to pass the ball to Nguyen Xuan Son. The Brazilian-born striker showed great speed to break free from Que Ngoc Hai’s marking and confidently slotted the ball past goalkeeper Minh Toan.
Binh Duong, who had been struggling to get going, failed to create any meaningful chances. Star striker Nguyen Tien Linh, who had scored seven goals earlier in the season, was completely shut down and didn’t register a single shot on target.
Nam Dinh continued to dominate the game. In the 36th minute, a long ball from the visitors found Son, who outjumped Bui Vi Hao and headed the ball into the net for his second goal of the match, making it 2-0. The visitors’ attacking play was relentless, and in the 43rd minute, Hoang Anh picked up the ball from midfield, ran past four Binh Duong defenders, and scored into an empty net to extend Nam Dinh’s lead to 3-0.
Just before halftime, at 45+4 minutes, Nguyen Xuan Son completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion. From a corner kick, Son outmuscled Bui Vi Hao to head the ball into the net, sealing his third goal of the match and making it 4-0. With this hat-trick, Son became the first player to score three goals in a match this season and extended his tally to seven goals in total.
In the second half, Binh Duong made several attacking substitutions, including bringing on Wailington Nem, Ha Duc Chinh, and Nghiem Xuan Tu. This injected some life into their game, and they had a few good chances. In the 58th minute, after a free-kick outside the box, Nem played a clever pass to Minh Khoa, who then assisted Tan Tai to score a long-range shot, pulling a goal back for Binh Duong, making the score 4-1.
Despite Binh Duong’s efforts to mount a comeback, Nam Dinh remained composed and continued to defend solidly while also looking for counter-attacking opportunities. In the 76th minute, Nam Dinh was awarded a penalty when Nghiem Xuan Tu fouled Tuan Anh in the box. However, Nguyen Xuan Son, who had already scored a hat-trick, passed the penalty responsibility to Nguyen Van Toan, but the latter’s shot hit the post.
With the victory, Nam Dinh moved up to second place in the league with 19 points, just one point behind leaders Thanh Hoa, who won 1-0 against Da Nang. Meanwhile, Binh Duong stayed in eighth place with 11 points.
After round 9, the V-League will take a break for the Vietnam national team’s preparation for the ASEAN Cup, which will resume in January 2025. Nam Dinh will continue to compete in the AFC Champions League Two, after which their players will join the national team for training.
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