Hanoi, 20 October 2025 – Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung suffered a knee ligament injury just 16 minutes into Da Nang’s 1-2 defeat to The Cong Viettel, forcing him off the pitch and casting doubt over his immediate future with the team.
Da Nang’s trip to Hang Day Stadium turned into a night of disappointment after they squandered an early lead to lose 1-2 to The Cong Viettel in Round 7 of the V.League 1 2025–2026, with goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury early in the match.
In the 11th minute, The Cong midfielder Nguyen Huu Thang sent a long ball forward for Lucao to chase. As the Brazilian striker broke past Kim Dong-su, Tien Dung rushed out of his penalty area and leapt to challenge. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly on his right leg and immediately collapsed in pain, signaling for medical assistance.
After several minutes of on-field treatment, the 28-year-old keeper was stretchered off in the 16th minute. He was later seen being helped into the dressing room by teammates at halftime. Initial assessments indicated a right knee ligament injury, and he is scheduled to undergo an MRI scan in Hanoi on October 21 to determine the extent of the damage.
The injury is a major setback for Tien Dung, who had only just returned after missing three consecutive matches earlier this season due to fitness issues. Since joining Da Nang FC, he has been the club’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, playing a crucial role in their successful relegation playoff win last season, where he famously saved Nguyen Cong Phuong’s penalty in a 2-0 victory over Binh Phuoc (now Dong Nai).
In his absence, Da Nang still put up a resilient fight. Substitute goalkeeper Phan Van Bieu (born 1998) came on and delivered an excellent performance, pulling off three vital saves to deny The Cong clear scoring opportunities, though he couldn’t prevent the eventual comeback.
Da Nang took a surprise lead in the 37th minute, when Nguyen Phi Hoang delivered a cross from the left flank that deflected off Dinh Viet Tu, allowing Milan Makaric to finish from close range. However, the home side fought back strongly in the second half.
In the 69th minute, Pedro Henrique controlled the ball neatly in the box before setting up Dinh Xuan Tien, who fired a powerful one-touch strike into the top-left corner to level the score. Eleven minutes later, Truong Tien Anh crossed from the right, and although Lucao missed his header, Nham Manh Dung reacted quickly to nod the ball into the net, completing the turnaround for The Cong amid confusion in Da Nang’s defense.
The result lifted The Cong Viettel to second place in the V.League 1 standings with 15 points, just two behind leaders Ninh Binh. Meanwhile, Da Nang remain in 12th place with 5 points, only two points clear of bottom club Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
As for Bui Tien Dung, the team and fans now await the results of his medical tests to determine whether the veteran goalkeeper will face another extended spell on the sidelines — a potentially significant blow to Da Nang’s hopes of climbing up the table this season.
Thanh Nhan
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