Hanoi FC dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Ha Tinh in Round 16 of the V-League 2024-2025, failing to capitalize on a numerical advantage in the final 10 minutes and missing an opportunity to close in on league leaders Nam Dinh.
First-half drama: VAR disallows Ha Tinh goal, but hosts still take the lead
Hanoi FC controlled the opening 10 minutes at Ha Tinh Stadium, creating the first major chance in the 9th minute. Pham Tuan Hai delivered a cross from the left, allowing Daniel Passira to get a touch inside the six-yard box, but goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Tung parried it away. Nguyen Van Quyet collected the rebound, skillfully dribbled past two defenders, and fired a left-footed shot—only for Adou Minh Leygley to clear the ball off the line.
Ha Tinh then tightened their defense before launching counterattacks. In the 24th minute, Geovane Magno lofted a ball from the right toward the penalty area. Alhaji Gero controlled it with his chest and struck a powerful right-footed volley into the bottom left corner, seemingly putting Ha Tinh ahead. However, VAR ruled the goal offside, showing that Gero’s left foot was slightly ahead of Hanoi’s last defender, Kyle Colonna.
Tensions escalated with multiple heated clashes, including between Van Quyet and Geovane as well as Viktor Le and Le Van Xuan, forcing the referee to intervene. Just before halftime, Ha Tinh finally broke the deadlock from a left-side corner kick. Luong Xuan Truong’s delivery found center-back Helerson, who outjumped everyone and directed a header into the right corner, making it 1-0 for the hosts.
Hanoi FC equalizes but fails to capitalize on red card advantage
The second half remained largely uneventful for the first 20 minutes. Notable chances included a long-range shot over the bar by Geovane (48′) and a missed effort wide left by Gero (64′).
In the 66th minute, Hanoi FC made four simultaneous substitutions to shift momentum:
- Joao Pedro replaced Daniel Passira
- Nguyen Hai Long replaced Luka Bobicanec
- Pierre Lamothe replaced Pham Tuan Hai
- Vu Dinh Hai replaced Truong Van Thai Quy
The changes breathed life into Hanoi’s attack, leading to the equalizer in the 72nd minute. Dinh Hai advanced down the left flank before passing to Van Quyet, who coolly maneuvered past Dang Van Tram and Huynh Tan Tai before delivering a cutback into the box. Joao Pedro controlled the ball with a slight touch and struck a left-footed shot, curling it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1.
Hanoi gained a further advantage in the 86th minute, when Alhaji Gero received a second yellow card for raising his right arm into the face of Dao Van Nam during an aerial duel. However, despite the extra man, Hanoi created only one clear chance in stoppage time—a tight-angled shot from Van Quyet, which goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Tung saved.
Hanoi FC drops crucial points in the title race
The 1-1 draw ends Hanoi FC’s three-match winning streak in the V-League. With 27 points, Hanoi narrows the gap to Nam Dinh to three points, but has played one match more. The team is also just two points ahead of Thanh Hoa and The Cong, making the race for the top spots even tighter.
For Ha Tinh, their 12th draw of the season keeps them seventh in the standings with 21 points.
Concerns over Ha Tinh’s pitch conditions
Before this match, Ha Tinh had to relocate to Vinh Stadium in Nghe An for their Round 15 home fixture against Thanh Hoa (0-0) due to poor pitch conditions.
While they were able to return to Ha Tinh Stadium for this match, the turf quality deteriorated as the game progressed, revealing patches of dead grass. However, stadium officials reassured that the pitch will improve over time, as regular maintenance and reduced club training sessions on the surface will allow the grass to recover.
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