Osaka, 22 October 2025 – Despite a determined effort, Nam Dinh FC could not overcome the superior quality of Gamba Osaka, suffering a 1-3 defeat at the Panasonic Suita Stadium on October 22 in the third round of Group F at the AFC Champions League Two 2025–2026.
After two impressive victories over Ratchaburi (3-1) and Eastern (1-0), Nam Dinh FC faced their biggest test yet — a challenging away match against Japanese powerhouse Gamba Osaka. The clash highlighted the continued gap between Vietnamese and Japanese club football, as coach Vu Hong Viet’s men were unable to withstand the hosts’ relentless tempo and technical superiority.
This marked Nam Dinh’s second consecutive meeting with a J.League 1 side in continental competition. The previous season, they were eliminated in the round of 16 after a 0-7 aggregate loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Determined to avoid a repeat, coach Vu Hong Viet deployed a cautious defensive setup with eight foreign players — including Lucas Alves, Mitchell Dijks, and Caique Santos — while relying on three domestic players: Van Kien, Hoang Anh, and Ti Phong.
However, Gamba Osaka’s quick passing and movement soon broke through Nam Dinh’s defensive lines. In the 16th minute, after a smooth combination on the left flank, Yamashita cut into the box and squared the ball perfectly for Rin Mito to tap in from close range, opening the scoring for the home side.
Nam Dinh struggled to create meaningful chances under constant pressure. Their best opportunity came in the 25th minute when Percy Tau latched onto Hoang Anh’s through ball but curled his shot narrowly wide. Meanwhile, Gamba’s striker Jebali repeatedly tested Caique Santos, including a powerful effort that struck the crossbar.
The Japanese side doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute after another well-coordinated attack. Despite Nam Dinh having four defenders in position, Yamashita once again broke through the middle and selflessly set up Jebali, who calmly finished to make it 2-0.
Although Nam Dinh tried to regroup and push forward in the final stages, their attacks lacked cohesion. The duo of Marlos Brenner and Percy Tau found little space against Gamba Osaka’s organized defense.
The home side sealed victory in the 87th minute when Yamashita cut inside from the left and fired a shot that deflected off a Nam Dinh defender, wrong-footing Caique Santos to make it 3-0. The visitors grabbed a consolation goal deep into stoppage time, as Kyle Hudlin turned sharply inside the box and struck a precise low shot into the far corner, reducing the deficit to 1-3.
With this result, Gamba Osaka maintain top spot in Group F with nine points after three matches, while Nam Dinh FC sit in second place. The two sides will meet again next month at Thien Truong Stadium, where the Vietnamese side will look to redeem themselves and keep their hopes of advancing alive in the AFC Champions League Two 2025–2026 campaign.
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