On February 12, during the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two 2024-2025 Round of 16, Nam Dinh FC suffered a 3-0 defeat against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Thien Truong Stadium.
The performance of Sanfrecce Hiroshima was a clear reflection of their J-League 1 runner-up status and the strength of Japanese football. Despite Sanfrecce Hiroshima only fielding one foreign player, Tolgay Arslan, they dominated possession with 56% and made 15 attempts, 5 of which were on target, compared to Nam Định’s 9 shots, with just one on target. The match started with Nam Dinhhaving the upper hand in the opening 10 minutes, pressuring the visitors.
In the 4th minute, Brenner’s cross from the left was set up by Hendrio, but Rogerio Alves’ shot just missed the left post. Both teams played fiercely, with numerous fouls resulting in yellow cards, including for Caio Cesar and Romulo of Nam Dinh, and a coach from Hiroshima. Nam Dinh had another opportunity in the 27th minute when Rogerio Alves dribbled past Tsusaki Shiotani and passed to Hendrio, but his shot went over the crossbar. Hiroshima quickly responded with a header from Shunki Higashi in the 30th minute, which missed the target.
After a tight first half, despite Nam Định’s defensive efforts, the game began to shift in favor of Hiroshima as key substitutions from Nam Dinh were unable to stop the Japanese team’s momentum. The deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute when Sota Nakamura, with a well-timed run and shot into the bottom corner, beat goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh.
Nam Dinhprotested, claiming that Lucas Silva had been struck in the face before the goal, but VAR confirmed the referee’s decision. In the 88th minute, another brilliant solo effort from Satoshi Tanaka led to a powerful strike that stretched Nam Dinh’s defense. With the final minutes approaching, a last-minute mistake by Lucas Alves saw Daiki Suga pounce on the ball, assisting Ryo Germain, whose weak shot was spilled by Nguyen Manh. Koshimichi then followed up to seal the 3-0 scoreline. This sets a daunting task for Nam Dinhin the second leg on February 19, 2025, in Hiroshima. Although there is no away goal rule in this competition, Nam Dinhwill need to secure a four-goal margin for a chance to progress, or at least a three-goal difference to force extra time. It’s an uphill battle, but the team will be determined to turn things around. for 29 seconds
In a match that exposed costly defensive errors, Nam Dinh suffered a 0–3 defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two 2024–2025 at Thien Truong Stadium. Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s performance was a testament to the high quality of Japanese football, as the team – runners-up in last season’s J-League 1 and recent Japanese Super Cup winners over Vissel Kobe – demonstrated superior efficiency despite fielding only one foreign player, Tolgay Arslan. In contrast, Nam Dinh relied on a mix of seven Brazilian players and one Ugandan, but their efforts were ultimately overshadowed by Hiroshima’s effective play, reflected in a 56% ball possession and 15 shots on target compared to Nam Dinh’s nine.
In the opening 10 minutes, Nam Dinh looked to press early while adjusting to the unfamiliar conditions at Thien Truong, but their initial attack yielded little. At the fourth minute, Brenner’s cross from the left found Hendrio with a header; however, Rogerio Alves’ follow-up shot went off target. The match quickly grew physical, with the Australian referee Casey Lisa Reibelt having to intervene repeatedly. Yellow cards were issued to Caio Cesar and Romulo at the 12th and 33rd minutes for illegal pressing, while a member of Hiroshima’s coaching staff also received a caution at the 11th minute for a reactive foul.
Nam Dinh’s brief hopes emerged at the 27th minute when Rogerio Alves dribbled from the left into the penalty area and attempted to set up Hendrio, who nearly opened the scoring with a left-footed shot that rattled the bar. Yet, just a few minutes later, the visitors mounted a counter-attack, with Shunki Higashi’s header from a Hayao Kawabe pass narrowly missing the target.
The game remained tightly contested until fatigue began to take its toll on Nam Dinh. Substitutions at the 63rd minute—Brenner and Rogerio Alves were replaced by Ly Cong Hoang Anh and Lucas Silva—failed to restore defensive solidity as gaps started appearing. At the 66th minute, Daiki Suga unleashed a curling cross from a free-kick on the right into the box, and although captain Sho Sasaki managed a header, goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh was quick to react and make a vital save.
The turning point came in the 74th minute when a defensive lapse, partly due to a misjudged offside trap, allowed Ryo Germain to receive a well-placed pass from a drifting teammate. Germain’s powerful shot, aimed toward the right corner, forced Nguyen Manh into a desperate attempt at a save but ultimately resulted in a goal that broke the deadlock. Shortly after, further substitutions were made—midfielder Romulo and right-back Tran Van Kien were replaced by Tran Van Dat and Ngo Duc Huy—but these changes could not halt the collapse. At the 88th minute, Satoshi Tanaka spearheaded a swift counter, cutting into the center and then curling a left-footed shot past a hapless Nguyen Manh to put Hiroshima 2–0 ahead. Nam Dinh’s protest that Lucas Silva had been fouled by Sota Koshimichi in the build-up was dismissed following a VAR review.
In the first minute of added time, a careless pass by Lucas Alves gave Daiki Suga a chance to burst forward from the left flank. Suga’s quick distribution to Ryo Germain allowed the Japanese side to exploit the gap decisively. Although Germain’s shot was not especially powerful, goalkeeper Nguyen Manh’s inability to control the rebound enabled Sota Koshimichi to slot in a third goal, sealing a 3–0 defeat for Nam Dinh.
This result leaves Nam Dinh with a challenging task in the return leg on February 19. With no away goals rule in effect in AFC Champions League Two, Nam Dinh must now secure a win by at least a four-goal margin—or by three goals to force extra time—to advance to the next round. The match serves as a stark reminder of how crucial discipline and defensive cohesion are at this level of competition, and it sets the stage for a difficult turnaround in the upcoming fixture.
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