Vinh, 31 January 2026 – Playing away against Song Lam Nghe An, who were under heavy pressure and desperately needed a positive result to avoid relegation, Hanoi FC delivered an impressive performance to secure a convincing 3-1 victory. The win helped coach Harry Kewell and his players return to the top five, reigniting their push for medals in the V.League 1 2025–2026 season.
Coach Kewell fielded his strongest possible lineup in Round 12, deploying key names such as Hung Dung, Duy Manh, Hoang Hen, Hai Long, Xuan Manh, along with all three foreign players, including new signing Fisher. With a superior squad and strong recent form, it was no surprise that the visitors controlled the game early, consistently pushing forward and applying pressure in the home side’s half.
The consistency of experienced veterans combined with the impact of the foreign players helped Hanoi FC claim all three points. Meanwhile, Song Lam Nghe An showed great determination on the league’s return but ultimately lacked the strength to compete. Despite their effort, coach Van Sy Son’s side finished empty-handed against a stronger and more balanced opponent.
In the 8th minute, new signing Fisher made his mark on the opening goal. He held the ball up well to set up Hai Long, whose accurate finish beat goalkeeper Van Binh to give Hanoi FC the lead. Song Lam Nghe An tried to push higher in search of an equalizer, but Hanoi FC’s midfield operated efficiently, with Hung Dung controlling the tempo and dominating the central area.
Hung Dung himself doubled the advantage in the 25th minute, finishing neatly from Hoang Hen’s assist. However, the Hanoi FC captain later became the center of attention for a different reason, receiving a red card at the end of the first half after a dangerous challenge on Nguyen Hoang.
Despite being a man down but holding a lead, Hanoi FC remained composed. Song Lam Nghe An took advantage of their numerical superiority and played more aggressively at the start of the second half. Yet their hopes were dealt another blow in the 62nd minute when Silva scored on a quick counterattack to make it 3-0.
After that, the visitors slowed the tempo and dropped deeper to defend, allowing the home side more control of midfield possession. In the 89th minute, Moore pulled one goal back for Song Lam Nghe An, but it was too late to change the outcome, as the match ended 3-1.
With this victory, Hanoi FC temporarily climbed to fifth place with 18 points, just four points behind third place, keeping their hopes alive for a top-three finish.
Leave a Reply