Xuan Son’s heroic comeback lights up Ninh Binh derby in thrilling turnaround victory

Ninh Binh, 1 March 2026 – After recovering from a broken leg, Nguyen Xuan Son returned to action in November 2025. He scored from the penalty spot in Vietnam’s 2–0 win over Laos in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers and netted seven goals in three matches at the ASEAN Club Championship. However, he struggled to replicate that scoring form in the V.League 1 and National Cup, going four matches without finding the net.

That drought finally ended when Nam Dinh hosted Ninh Binh at Thien Truong Stadium. In the 74th minute, defender Dang Van Toi advanced down the right flank and delivered a cross to the far post. Xuan Son outmuscled Truong Tien Anh before steering a powerful header into the top-right corner, beating his close friend and goalkeeper Dang Van Lam.

The naturalized Brazilian-born striker celebrated passionately, placing his finger to his lips before sprinting toward the technical area to share the moment with teammates and fans. On the sidelines, the coaching staff embraced him, while head coach Kim Sang-sik was seen smiling in the stands.

His goal lifted Nam Dinh’s spirits, and they continued to press forward. In the 82nd minute, Nguyen Tuan Anh set up Xuan Son inside the box. Although his left-footed effort deflected off Patrick Marcelino, the ball fell kindly for Kevin Pham Ba, who finished clinically to complete a remarkable 3–2 turnaround.

The late surge ended Nam Dinh’s 10-match winless streak in the league. The return of coach Vu Hong Viet, replacing Mauro Jeronimo, appeared to immediately change the team’s fortunes. Meanwhile, Ninh Binh suffered their third consecutive league defeat after a dream start.

In the 8th minute, Do Thanh Thinh opened the scoring with a stunning long-range strike from 27 meters. Nguyen Hoang Duc doubled the advantage in the 32nd minute after capitalizing on a scramble inside the penalty area.

Nam Dinh were unfortunate before halftime, as efforts from Chadrac Akolo and Xuan Son both struck the crossbar. They finally pulled one back in the 41st minute when To Van Vu squared the ball for Akolo to finish into an empty net.

In the second half, Nam Dinh intensified their attacks. Several chances went begging, including two consecutive attempts from Van Vi and a dangerous cross from Xuan Son that Caio Cesar failed to convert. Ultimately, Xuan Son’s decisive impact ensured a memorable comeback victory.

The win moves Nam Dinh up to ninth place with 15 points. Ninh Binh remain on 27 points, now eight behind league leaders Hanoi Police FC, having played one match more. Coach Albadalejo’s side could even slip from second place if The Cong defeat Hanoi FC in the final fixture of Round 14.