Thanh Hoa suffered a 0-1 defeat against Hai Phong in the last Round of 16 match, officially relinquishing their National Cup title for the 2024-2025 season.
The defending champions have endured a winless streak since the start of 2025, recording seven draws and two losses. They were eliminated from the ASEAN Club Championship group stage and have fallen behind in the V-League title race. As a result, their home match against Hai Phong was seen as a crucial opportunity to end their poor run and reaffirm their dominance, having won the National Cup in the past two seasons.
However, Thanh Hoa struggled throughout the match, failing to create any dangerous chances in the first half. In the 18th minute, they suffered a blow when Nguyen Ngoc My sustained a serious injury after an aerial duel with Trieu Viet Hung, landing awkwardly and being forced off the field.
Hai Phong takes the lead before halftime
In the 43rd minute, Hai Phong executed a short corner from the left, with Huu Son delivering a low cross to the near post. Viet Hung stooped low and flicked a header off the ground, sending the ball off the inside of the right post and into the net. Thanh Hoa’s defender Gustavo Santos protested fiercely, claiming Nguyen Ngoc Tu was offside as he rushed toward the ball. However, with VAR not implemented in the Round of 16, the referee upheld the goal, and slow-motion replays showed that Ngoc Tu did not touch the ball.
Thanh Hoa’s second-half dominance falls short
Thanh Hoa dominated possession in the second half and created multiple scoring chances.
- 51st minute: A Mit crossed from the right into the six-yard box, where Doan Ngoc Tan headed toward the bottom-left corner, but goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu made a diving save.
- 59th minute: Lucas Ribamar went down in the box and appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on. Moments later, Nguyen Thai Son fired over the bar from a tight angle on the right.
- 70th minute: Luiz Antonio took a 25-meter free kick, curling the ball toward the top-left corner, but Dinh Trieu made a spectacular save.
- 86th minute: Ribamar broke through one-on-one, but Dinh Trieu blocked his low, diagonal shot with his foot, preserving Hai Phong’s lead.
In the five minutes of stoppage time, Thanh Hoa relentlessly sent long balls into the box, but Hai Phong’s defense held firm. In their final attack, Doan Ngoc Tan protested for a handball inside the box, claiming the ball struck a Hai Phong defender’s arm in a goalmouth scramble. However, referee Duong Huu Phuc let play continue before blowing the final whistle, prompting Thanh Hoa’s captain to confront him angrily before being restrained by teammates.
Hai Phong advances to the quarter-finals
With the 0-1 loss, Thanh Hoa’s National Cup title defense ends, extending their winless streak to 10 matches. Meanwhile, Hai Phong secured their third consecutive win, following 1-0 and 2-1 victories over Ha Tinh and Quang Nam in the V-League.
Hai Phong will face Hanoi Police FC at home on April 22 in the quarter-finals. The remaining three fixtures are:
- Binh Duong vs. Ninh Binh (March 29)
- Song Lam Nghe An vs. Dong Thap (March 30)
- The Cong vs. Hoang Anh Gia Lai (March 30)
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