On the night of February 23, 2024, Viettel FC suffered a defeat to Hanoi Police FC, giving Nam Dinh FC a golden opportunity to take the top spot in the V-League standings. If they secured a victory over Binh Dinh in the last match of Round 14, Nam Dinh would return to number one.
The game was set up with favorable conditions for the home team, as visitors Binh Dinh had been on a long winless streak in the V-League, with five consecutive losses, including a shocking defeat to last-place Da Nang at home. Compared to the Binh Dinh squad that defeated Nam Dinh 4-2 last season on Nam Dinh’s home ground, they had noticeably declined. Nam Dinh started the game impressively. In the 6th minute, Nguyen Tuan Anh made a powerful run to the corner, outpacing Cao Van Trien, and then crossed the ball perfectly for striker Tran Van Dat, who calmly finished to put Nam Dinh ahead 1-0. After the opening goal, Nam Dinh continued to control possession. With Tuan Anh and Caio Cesar in midfield, they quickly moved the ball and created pressure on Binh Dinh’s goal.
However, Binh Dinh fought back hard. The visitors countered thanks to the speed of Mac Hong Quan and Alisson Farias, creating several moments that startled Nam Dinh’s defense. Before Binh Dinh had any real chances, Nam Dinh made an unfortunate error. In the 40th minute, Romulo da Silva swung his arm and struck Binh Dinh’s defender Luc Xuan Hung. While initially, the referee did not whistle, Romulo’s sly act was detected after a VAR review. The referee then awarded a penalty to Binh Dinh. Alisson stepped up for Binh Dinh and beat Nam Dinh’s goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh with a precise shot into the lower left corner, leveling the score at 1-1.
This late equalizer before halftime forced Nam Dinh to be more aggressive in the second half. Binh Dinh, on the other hand, settled into their defensive counter-attacking strategy. The match was tight throughout, but a moment of brilliance from Duong Thanh Hao in the 51st minute restored Nam Dinh’s lead. Capitalizing on a poor header back from Binh Dinh’s central defender, Hào smartly broke free behind the defense and scored with a precise angled shot. Binh Dinh’s efforts fell apart in the second half, as they struggled to keep up with Nam Dinh’s relentless attack. After a shot from Brenner Marlos hit the post, Nam Dinh scored again in the 74th minute. Caio Cesar’s powerful run on the left wing created chaos in the Binh Dinh box. Left-back Nguyen Van Vi seized the opportunity to score a close-range goal, sealing a 3-1 victory for Nam Dinh. With the full three points, Nam Dinh climbed to the top of the table with 27 points from 14 matches, 2 points ahead of second-place Viettel FC. As the race for the V-League title intensifies, the competition is becoming even more thrilling. for 29 seconds
The collapse of Viettel FC against Hanoi Police FC on the evening of February 23 provided Nam Dinh a golden opportunity to reclaim the top spot in the league. If Nam Dinh manages to defeat Binh Dinh in the latest match of Round 14, coach Vu Hong Viet’s side will return to first place.
Nam Dinh entered the match with a strong sense of purpose, taking advantage of Binh Dinh’s prolonged struggles in the league. Binh Dinh have been languishing at the bottom, having lost their last five matches—including a heavy defeat at home to Da Nang. Compared to their formidable performance last season when they managed a 4–2 victory over Nam Dinh at Thien Truong Stadium, Binh Dinh’s current form has visibly deteriorated.
Nam Dinh set an impressive tone early in the game. As early as the sixth minute, Nguyen Tuan Anh burst forward down the sideline, outpacing Binh Dinh’s defender Cao Van Trien. With a swift burst, he delivered a curling cross into the box, setting up striker Tran Van Dat to fire a powerful shot that smashed into the net and gave Nam Dinh the early lead.
Following this opening goal, Nam Dinh maintained tight control of the match. Anchored by Nguyen Tuan Anh and Caio Cesar in midfield, the home side executed quick, fluid attacks to continually pressure Binh Dinh’s goalkeeper, Huynh Tuan Linh. Despite the visitors’ persistent counterattacks—led by the pace of Mac Hong Quan and Alisson Farias—Nam Dinh’s early dominance remained unchallenged.
However, the game took an unexpected twist when Nam Dinh themselves committed a costly error. At the 40th minute, Romulo da Silva committed a foul by striking Binh Dinh defender Luc Xuan Hung. Initially, the referee did not blow the whistle, but after a VAR review, the incident was confirmed and Binh Dinh were awarded a penalty. From the spot, Binh Dinh’s Alisson calmly converted with a precise shot into the left corner, leveling the score at 1–1.
The match grew even more dramatic in the second half. With Binh Dinh still struggling to create clear-cut chances, Nam Dinh pressed on. At the 51st minute, following a poor header from one of Binh Dinh’s central defenders, Duong Thanh Hao made a smart, well-timed run behind the opposition’s defense. He received a perfectly chipped pass and delivered a cross-corner that found its way to Nam Dinh’s attackers, restoring their lead.
As the pressure mounted, Binh Dinh’s fighting spirit began to wane in the latter stages of the second half. Three minutes after Duong Thanh Hao’s contribution, a rebound off a deflected shot from Brenner Marlos allowed Nam Dinh to carve out another scoring opportunity, and they capitalized on the moment to extend their advantage further.
At the 74th minute, a breakthrough came when Caio Cesar’s determined run down the left flank resulted in a chaotic scramble inside the box. Seizing the moment, left-back Nguyen Van Vi rose to the occasion and executed a well-placed shot near the post, effectively knocking over Binh Dinh’s goalkeeper Tuan Linh. This goal, which made the score 3–1 in favor of Nam Dinh, was the decisive strike that ultimately secured their victory.
With three points in hand, Nam Dinh now sits atop the table with 27 points after 14 rounds—2 points clear of Viettel FC, who had suffered a setback in their previous match. The championship race is now intensifying, with every match carrying significant implications as teams vie for the top spot in the V-League.
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