At Thien Truong Stadium tonight, Nam Dinh pulled off a dramatic comeback to win 2-1 against Hanoi in the V-League. With Hanoi reduced to 10 players—meaning they had one less teammate on the field—Nam Dinh took advantage of the extra space to score and change the game. The victory, sparked by smart plays from key players like Hendrio and Caio Cesar, now puts Nam Dinh temporarily at the top of the league standings.
In a dramatic V-League Round 13 clash held last night at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh staged a remarkable comeback to edge out Hanoi 2-1, capitalizing on their numerical advantage at the end of the first half. The victory comes on the back of recent off-field turbulence for Hanoi, as their coaching staff underwent a significant change with Coach Hoang Van Phuc being recalled to lead the team after Le Duc Tuan left for Da Nang. The Hanoi management had pinned their hopes on Coach Phuc to reverse the fortunes following two important losses—first to Dong Thap in the National Cup round of 16 and then to Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Round 12 of the V-League. However, personal mistakes from his players on the field prevented him from turning the tide in his debut return.
From the opening whistle, Hanoi appeared to be the more cohesive side, creating several dangerous chances and testing Nam Dinh goalkeeper Nguyen Manh with a series of sharp attacks. Unfortunately for the visitors, their finishing was off the mark, and a miscalculation by Nam Dinh’s defender Hong Duy during a clearance resulted in a penalty in the 42nd minute. Rookie Luka Bobicanec, representing Hanoi, calmly stepped up to convert the spot-kick and give the capital side an early lead. For younger readers, a “penalty” is a free shot taken from a short distance after a foul in the penalty area.
The match’s momentum shifted dramatically just three minutes later when Hanoi’s striker Pham Tuan Hai committed a foul on Hong Duy, earning himself a red card and reducing Hanoi to ten men for the remainder of the game. This turning point left Hanoi struggling to maintain their rhythm as Nam Dinh seized the opportunity to press forward. In the 59th minute, a swift move saw Nam Dinh’s Brazilian forward Caio Cesar find space after a clever pass from Hendrio, and his left-footed strike from within the penalty area leveled the score.
Nam Dinh then maintained their intensity and kept the pressure on a beleaguered Hanoi defense. In the 84th minute, Hendrio made a decisive impact, racing forward and unleashing a curling shot from a tight angle that beat Hanoi goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan, sealing a 2-1 victory for the home side. Although the win was hard-fought, it was evident that Nam Dinh’s style of play was still somewhat unsettled, partly due to the absence of key player Xuan Son. The team had largely relied on Hendrio throughout the match, but he struggled to make a significant impact during the first half because Hanoi’s defenders were well-organized.
Curiously, despite Hong Duy’s less-than-stellar performance on the left wing, Nam Dinh’s coach Vu Hong Viet opted to delay the entry of Nguyen Van Vi—a player renowned for his exploits with the national team at the AFF Cup 2024—until the second half. His arrival added a fresh dynamic to the attack, further bolstering Nam Dinh’s offensive threat and helping to secure the winning goal. With this result, Nam Dinh temporarily climbed to the top of the table with 24 points, while Hanoi languishes in fifth place with 17 points, leaving fans to wonder how different the match might have been had Hanoi not been reduced to ten men at the end of the first half.
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