Binh Phuoc, April 20, 2025 – Nguyen Cong Phuong delivered a stunning free-kick double to inspire Binh Phuoc’s 2-1 turnaround victory against Hoa Binh FC in Round 15 of the 2024-2025 National First Division on April 20. The win solidified Binh Phuoc’s second-place standing, keeping their V.League promotion play-off hopes alive.
Hoa Binh FC, languishing second-bottom and fighting relegation, shocked the hosts with an early lead. Nguyen Van Tung converted a 9th-minute penalty after a foul in the box, putting Binh Phuoc on the back foot. The home side, chasing a spot behind leaders Phu Dong Ninh Binh, responded fiercely. In the 28th minute, Cong Phuong stepped up for a free kick just outside the box, left of center. His curling strike arced over the wall and nestled into the near corner, beyond Hoa Binh FC goalkeeper Vu Thanh Vinh’s desperate dive, leveling the score at 1-1.
Fresh off a thigh injury that sidelined him for five rounds, Cong Phuong—once a Hoang Anh Gia Lai star—has regained his spark. After assisting twice in Binh Phuoc’s 2-0 win over Khatoco Khanh Hoa last round, he tormented Hoa Binh FC with his set-piece mastery. In the 92nd minute, with Binh Phuoc pressing, he struck again. From a near-identical free-kick position, Cong Phuong whipped another shot over the wall, dipping into the near post. Thanh Vinh, anticipating the move, dove full-stretch but couldn’t stop the stunner, sending Binh Phuoc’s stadium into a frenzy with the 2-1 clincher.
Cong Phuong’s brace brings his season tally to six goals, tying him with teammate Luu Tu Nhan atop the First Division scoring charts. Binh Phuoc’s 33 points keep them second, nine behind Phu Dong Ninh Binh with seven rounds left. Born in 1995, Cong Phuong rose through Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s JMG Academy alongside Nguyen Van Toan and Nguyen Tuan Anh. A silver medalist at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship and 2018 AFF Cup champion, he’s Vietnam’s most traveled player, with stints at Mito Hollyhock (Japan), Incheon United (South Korea), Sint-Truiden (Belgium), and Yokohama FC (Japan), though he struggled for minutes abroad.
Returning to Vietnam in 2024, Cong Phuong’s flair, akin to Hanoi Police FC’s Nguyen Quang Hai, has revitalized Binh Phuoc. Their win, contrasting The Cong Viettel’s steady V.League form, sets up a crucial clash with PVF-CAND next, as they chase promotion and Song Lam Nghe An’s regional pride.
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