Hung Yen, 17 July 2026 – The quarterfinal lineup for the 2026 Vietnam U21 National Championship – FPT Play Cup was officially finalized on the afternoon of July 17 following the conclusion of the final two Group C matches.
The headline fixture saw PVF take on Hanoi Police FC in a decisive battle for qualification. Entering the match, PVF topped the group standings, while Hanoi Police FC sat in third place. A draw would be enough for PVF to secure first place, while Hanoi Police FC remained in a strong position to qualify as one of the two best third-placed teams.
With plenty at stake, both sides adopted a cautious approach from the opening whistle. PVF enjoyed the majority of possession and attempted to dictate the tempo, but Hanoi Police FC’s disciplined defensive organization left little room for clear-cut opportunities. During the opening 20 minutes, neither team was able to seriously test the opposing goalkeeper.
The first half ended goalless, with much of the play concentrated in midfield. After the restart, PVF continued to dominate possession but struggled to break down Hanoi Police FC’s well-drilled back line. The match ultimately finished in a 0-0 draw, a result that saw PVF secure top spot in Group C while Hanoi Police FC advanced to the quarterfinals as the group’s runners-up.
In the other Group C fixture, SHB Da Nang faced Dong Nai knowing that a favorable result would likely be enough to book a place in the knockout stage. However, the central Vietnam side found it difficult to break through Dong Nai’s compact defense, and the teams went into halftime locked at 0-0.
Dong Nai stunned their opponents after the break by scoring twice in quick succession. Tuan Sang broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute following a well-worked attacking move, before Minh Toan converted a penalty seven minutes later to double the advantage and seal a 2-0 victory.
Despite claiming all three points, Dong Nai were eliminated after finishing bottom of Group C with just three points. Meanwhile, SHB Da Nang progressed to the quarterfinals as one of the tournament’s two best third-placed teams.
The eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals are now confirmed. Hanoi and PVF-CAND qualified from Group A, while The Cong Viettel and Song Lam Nghe An progressed from Group B. PVF and Hanoi Police FC secured the top two spots in Group C, with Hoang Anh Gia Lai and SHB Da Nang completing the last eight as the two best third-placed finishers.
VSN/RPT
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