With a 2-1 victory over Hanoi Police FC on February 19, Viettel FC clinched the coveted first-leg Vietnam V-League 2024-2025 title with 25 points, narrowly edging second-placed Nam Dinh, who finished with 24 points. This win underscored not only Viettel’s dominance in the league but also their ability to consistently curtail Hanoi Police FC’s attacking potency, bolstering their reputation as the teams’ “boogeyman.”
The match provided another display of effective counter-attacking football by Viettel under the guidance of coach Nguyen Duc Thang. Despite a conservative attacking setup with only three forwards—Pedro Henrique, Nham Manh Dung, and Amarildo—their attacking transitions were direct, swift, and dangerous. Right from the opening whistle, Pedro was threatening the opposition, his powerful shot from a difficult angle in the 5th minute forcing a stunning save from Hanoi Police FC’s goalkeeper Nguyen Filip. It wasn’t until the 15th minute that Hanoi Police FC responded as Phan Van Duc attempted an audacious long-range shot, but his strike lacked enough curl to beat Viettel’s keeper Pham Van Phong.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 20th minute, thanks to a brilliant solo effort from Truong Tien Anh. Capitalizing on a loose ball outside the box, he tricked his defender with a clever feint, slotted the ball past the goalkeeper’s near post, and watched in delight as the ball hit the post before ricocheting into the net, giving Viettel a 1-0 lead. From there, Viettel packed the defense, allowing Hanoi Police FC to dominate possession but struggle to break down their well-organized backline.
Chances for Hanoi Police FC remained few and far between as Le Pham Thanh Long’s long-range attempt in the closing stages of the first half sailed over the bar. Key players like Nguyen Quang Hai, Leo Artur, and Alan Grafite found themselves isolated and frustrated, unable to breach the wall set up by Viettel’s defense. In the second half, Hanoi Police FC pushed higher up the field, seeking openings by delivering crosses into the penalty area for Artur and Grafite. This more direct approach posed some problems for Viettel, but the well-drilled defense led by captain Bui Tien Dung held firm, rejecting every attempt to break through. The decisive moment came in the 67th minute. Nguyen Huu Thang unleashed a sublime pass from midfield to send Amarildo racing through on goal. The Brazilian striker maintained his composure to slot the ball past Filip, doubling Viettel’s lead to 2-0.
This strategically executed goal sealed the result, and despite several more counter-attacks from the home side, including missed chances from Amarildo and Tan Tai, Viettel maintained their advantage. Hanoi Police FC only found the net in the 85th minute when Leo Artur connected with a powerful shot to reduce the deficit to 2-1. However, Viettel remained resolute, managing to avoid any further damage and sealing their victory. The win secured Viettel FC the first-leg title of the 2024-2025 V-League with 25 points from 13 games, while Hanoi Police FC languished in 7th place with 17 points. This victory highlighted Viettel’s tactical prowess and resilience, affirming their place at the top of Vietnamese football. for 9 seconds
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In an electrifying encounter on the evening of February 19, The Cong Viettel secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hanoi Police FC in the added time of Round 11 of the V-League 2024-2025. This crucial win crowned The Cong Viettel as first-leg champions with 25 points—a slim one-point advantage over second-place Nam Dinh. Known as the most troublesome opponent for Hanoi Police FC, The Cong Viettel have repeatedly proven their defensive resilience and lethal counterattacking prowess, traits that have long troubled teams that prefer to dominate possession.
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