Quy Nhon, 3 June, 2025 – With a dominant 5-1 win over Binh Dinh in the rescheduled match of round 20, Hanoi Police FC moved up to third place in the V-League 2024-2025 after round 24.
At Quy Nhon Stadium on the evening of June 3, Hanoi Police FC was missing key players, including Nguyen Filip, Quang Hai, and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, who were with the Vietnam national team. Three other stars, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Vu Van Thanh, and Le Van Do, were also absent due to injuries and suspensions.
Despite a depleted squad, Hanoi Police FC was motivated by the opportunity to compete for a medal and started the match with high spirits and determination. They scored two goals in the 3rd and 14th minutes, courtesy of Leo Atur and Alexandre Alan.
Binh Dinh, sitting near the bottom of the table, with the same points as the last-placed Da Nang, needed to use this rescheduled match to escape the relegation zone. However, under the guidance of their new coach, Tran Minh Chien, Binh Dinh played lackluster, with slow attacking moves and disjointed play, failing to put pressure on the visitors.
Their only bright spot came in the 18th minute when 21-year-old midfielder Dinh Thanh Luan broke free and scored to narrow the score to 1-2. However, for the rest of the match, they seemed to give up, with home fans gradually leaving in disappointment.
In the 51st minute, the home defense failed to cover Atur, allowing him to score and increase the lead to 3-1, as he faced goalkeeper Tuan Linh. A few minutes later, Atur, a former Binh Dinh player, was sent off for an off-the-ball foul on a Binh Dinh defender, receiving a red card.
Even with a one-man advantage, Binh Dinh could not put pressure on the opponent. They were further exposed as another former player, Alan, scored to make it 4-1.
In the 90+2 minute, Le Pham Thanh Long easily dribbled past Binh Dinh’s defense and scored the final goal, sealing the 5-1 victory for Hanoi Police FC. The three points lifted Coach Mano Polking’s side to third place with 39 points. With 12 points behind the leaders Nam Dinh and 7 points behind second-place Hanoi FC with only two rounds remaining, Hanoi Police FC can no longer challenge for the top two spots. They will now compete for the bronze medal with The Cong (38 points) and Ha Tinh (35 points).
“This is an important victory to help us enter the top 3, so the whole team is very happy to have achieved this goal,” said central defender Dinh Trong. “We are missing many key players, but because we’ve operated under a consistent playing style throughout the season, the young players and those who haven’t had much playing time have adapted well and replaced them perfectly.”
Binh Dinh remains in 13th place, which means they must play in the relegation play-off. In the final two rounds, they will face Ho Chi Minh FC on June 15 and Hanoi FC on June 22.
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