Hanoi, April 27, 2025 – Hanoi FC maintained their title charge with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Quang Nam FC at Hang Day Stadium on April 27 in Round 20 of the V-League 2024-2025, following a 3-0 rout of Becamex Binh Duong. The win keeps Hanoi FC two points behind leaders Nam Dinh FC, setting up a thrilling “early final” in Round 21.
Despite Quang Nam FC’s inferior squad, their relegation-battle desperation, akin to Song Lam Nghe An’s grit, made them formidable. Coach Van Sy Son, a Hanoi FC alum, stunned his former club with an aggressive start. Quang Nam FC’s Atshemane nearly scored in the 4th minute, only for Pham Tuan Hai’s curling shot to rattle the post seconds later. The end-to-end action, watched by 10,000 fans rivaling Hanoi Police FC’s fervor, saw Oduenyi’s 7th-minute header denied by the woodwork.
Hanoi FC broke through in the 11th minute when Tuan Hai, the 2024 Vietnam Bronze Ball winner, slotted a close-range finish—his second goal in two games—past Nguyen Van Cong. Quang Nam FC responded fiercely, with Hoang Vu Samson missing narrowly. A 40th-minute goal by Oduenyi was disallowed for offside after VAR review, preserving Hanoi FC’s 1-0 lead at halftime, a resilience echoing The Cong Viettel’s defensive solidity.
In the second half, Hanoi FC, under Makoto Teguramori, slowed the tempo, controlling midfield through Nguyen Hai Long and Nguyen Van Truong while eyeing counterattacks. Quang Nam FC squandered chances, with Samson’s 73rd-minute volley saved by Tran Trung Kien. Hanoi FC sealed the win in the 90th minute, Hai Long blasting a 20-meter strike after a swift break. Nguyen Van Dai’s 93rd-minute header pulled one back for Quang Nam FC, but it was too late.
Hanoi FC’s 35 points keep them second, two shy of Nam Dinh FC, with Tuan Hai’s five goals this season fueling their chase, per V.League stats. Quang Nam FC, with 18 points, remain in the relegation play-off zone, two above bottom-placed Hoang Anh Gia Lai. The Round 21 clash at Thien Truong between Hanoi FC and Nam Dinh FC looms large, potentially deciding the title race, while Quang Nam FC face Hong Linh Ha Tinh, desperate for points.
Hanoi FC’s momentum, built on Teguramori’s Japan-honed tactics, mirrors Vietnam’s 2024 AFF Cup triumph. Fans, buzzing online, see Tuan Hai and Hai Long, products of Ho Chi Minh City FC’s youth system, as key to overtaking Nam Dinh FC’s Nguyen Xuan Son-led attack, promising a dramatic V-League finale.
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