Malaysia, 6 May 2026 – Nam Dinh FC reached the semi-finals as Group B winners after defeating Bangkok United, Lion City Sailors, Shan United, and Svay Rieng FC, before drawing with Johor Darul Tazim in their final group match. Their semi-final opponents, Selangor FC, finished second in Group A after drawing with Buriram United and BG Pathum United, as well as Herb Cebu, while beating Tampines Rovers and Hanoi Police FC.
In the first leg at Petaling Jaya, Nam Dinh deployed a 3-4-3 formation, with Walber Motta positioned on the right flank to contain Selangor’s key attacker Faisal Halim. The midfield pairing of Caio Cesar and Lusamba provided physical presence, while Chadrac Akolo and Percy Tau were tasked with creating danger from the wings.
The Vietnamese side controlled much of the opening 35 minutes, generating several chances, but efforts from Akolo, Tau, and Walber were denied by the goalkeeper or the woodwork. Meanwhile, Selangor remained patient, waiting for counterattacking opportunities—an approach that had previously helped them eliminate Hanoi Police FC in the group stage.
Despite being aware of the threat, Nam Dinh conceded in the 37th minute. A long ball from Safuwan Baharudin led to a defensive error by Nguyen Van Vi, allowing Quentin Cheng to break behind the defense before setting up Chrigor for a close-range finish.
Selangor doubled their lead in the 58th minute, again through a counterattack. Faisal Halim switched play to Quentin Cheng, whose cross found Chrigor. The striker calmly controlled the ball, beat goalkeeper Caique, and chipped it into the net to complete his brace.
Chrigor’s performance highlighted his status as the top scorer in the Malaysian league this season with 23 goals. In contrast, Nguyen Xuan Son struggled to make an impact despite his strong group-stage form, where he had scored seven goals in three matches.
Although Xuan Son was largely contained by Selangor’s physical defender Mamadou Diarra, Nam Dinh still managed to create opportunities. They pulled one goal back in first-half stoppage time when Nguyen Van Vi finished from close range after a clever assist from Percy Tau.
In the second half, Nam Dinh pushed forward in search of an equalizer but missed several clear chances. Percy Tau fired over the bar, Tran Van Dat also missed from distance, and Nguyen Tuan Anh saw his close-range header brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Sikh Izhan.
The 2-1 defeat leaves Nam Dinh at a disadvantage heading into the second leg at Thien Truong Stadium on May 13. In the other semi-final, Buriram United secured a strong 3-1 away victory over Johor Darul Tazim, putting them in a favorable position to reach the final.
VSN/RPT
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