Hanoi, May 4, 2025 – Nam Dinh FC delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Hanoi FC in a pivotal Round 21 V.League 2024-2025 clash at Hang Day Stadium on May 4, solidifying their lead atop the table with 42 points. The “early final” saw the defending champions outclass second-placed Hanoi FC, now trailing by five points, in front of 15,000 fans.
Billed as a title-deciding duel, Nam Dinh FC, unbeaten in their last three meetings with Hanoi FC, faced a revitalized Hanoi FC under Makoto Teguramori, who boasted six wins and two draws in eight recent matches, per V.League stats. Hanoi FC started aggressively, with Do Hung Dung slipping Daniel Passira through in the 6th minute, only for the Bolivian to skew wide from a tight angle. Tran Nguyen Manh then shone, denying Do Duy Manh’s header and Pham Tuan Hai’s curling 20-meter strike.
Nam Dinh FC absorbed pressure like a coiled spring, striking decisively. In the 27th minute, Nguyen Thanh Chung’s goalline clearance from a corner fell to Kevin Pham Ba, who unleashed a sublime one-touch volley from 15 meters, leaving Nguyen Van Hoang helpless at 1-0, a strike echoing Hanoi Police FC’s precision. Four minutes later, Brenner Marlos outpaced Ngo Duc Hoang and fed Ly Cong Hoang Anh, who curled past Van Hoang for 2-0, upheld by VAR. The first half ended with Lam Ti Phong earning a penalty, converted by Brenner Marlos in the 39th minute, deceiving Van Hoang for 3-0.
Trailing by three, Hanoi FC faced a near-impossible task. Teguramori introduced Nguyen Hai Long, Nguyen Van Tung, Truong Van Thai Quy, and Pierre Lamothe, but Nam Dinh FC’s relentless pressing, led by Tran Van Cong, and a staunch defense, anchored by Thanh Chung, stifled Hanoi FC. Despite 62% possession, Hanoi FC’s attacks, driven by Nguyen Van Quyet and Passira, lacked cohesion, unlike The Cong Viettel’s fluidity. Nam Dinh FC, coached by Vu Hong Viet, held firm, with Nguyen Manh’s four saves, per Sofascore, sealing a clean sheet.
Nam Dinh FC’s triumph, their biggest at Hang Day since 2022, strengthens their title defense, five points clear with five rounds left, mirroring Song Lam Nghe An’s 2020 surge. Hanoi FC, stung by their first loss in nine, face Becamex Binh Duong next, while Nam Dinh FC host Hoang Anh Gia Lai, eyeing a second straight crown, fueled by Ho Chi Minh City FC-like fan fervor and Brenner Marlos’ eight goals, rivaling Binh Dinh FC’s Nguyen Tien Linh.
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