Hung Yen, 20 July 2026 – The first two quarterfinals of the 2026 Vietnam U21 National Championship – FPT Play Cup took place on July 20, with Hanoi and The Cong Viettel emerging victorious to become the first two teams to book their places in the semifinals.
The headline matchup featured Hanoi against Cong An Ha Noi FC. Hanoi started brightly, controlling possession and applying sustained pressure in search of an early breakthrough, while Cong An Ha Noi FC adopted a disciplined defensive approach and looked to threaten on the counterattack.
After squandering several chances, Hanoi finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Hong Phong calmly converted a penalty to put his side in front. However, Hanoi Police FC responded just before halftime as Khai Binh capitalized on an attacking opportunity to level the score at 1-1.
Hanoi regained control after the restart but were caught out on the counter in the 60th minute. Khai Binh completed his brace with a clinical finish, giving Cong An Ha Noi FC a surprising 2-1 lead.
Refusing to give in, Hanoi continued to push forward and found their equalizer ten minutes later when Xuan Toan made it 2-2, setting up a tense finish.
With neither side able to find a winner during regulation time, the tie was decided by a penalty shootout. Hanoi held their nerve from the spot, defeating Cong An Ha Noi FC 4-2 on penalties to secure a place in the last four.
In the other quarterfinal, The Cong Viettel faced defending champions PVF-CAND in a closely contested encounter between two teams familiar with each other’s style of play.
Both sides approached the match cautiously during the opening stages, but the breakthrough arrived in the 24th minute when Hoang Khanh finished clinically to score what proved to be the only goal of the game.
PVF-CAND pushed forward in search of an equalizer for the remainder of the match, but they were unable to break down The Cong Viettel’s well-organized defense. The military club successfully protected their slender advantage until the final whistle, sealing a 1-0 victory and a place in the semifinals.
The result also brought an end to PVF-CAND’s title defense, as the reigning champions were eliminated from the tournament, while Hanoi and The Cong Viettel moved one step closer to lifting the 2026 Vietnam U21 National Championship – FPT Play Cup trophy.
VSN/RPT
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