Hung Yen, 25 July 2026 – After 90 minutes of tense, nail-biting action in the final of the U21 National Football Championship, U21 Song Lam Nghe An narrowly defeated U21 The Cong Viettel 1-0 to lift the trophy. The triumph was followed by a memorable awards ceremony, where goalkeeper Cao Van Binh stole the spotlight by claiming the tournament’s two top individual honors.
Both teams entered the final with a cautious approach. Representing two of Vietnam’s leading youth academies, U21 Song Lam Nghe An and U21 The Cong Viettel produced a disciplined and fiercely contested encounter.
The first half featured end-to-end exchanges, but neither side could break the deadlock. Both defensive units remained well organized, leaving the attackers with few clear opportunities in front of goal.
The decisive breakthrough finally arrived in the second half. Capitalizing on a well-executed attacking move, U21 Song Lam Nghe An found the net to take a 1-0 lead, sparking jubilant celebrations among their supporters in the stands.
U21 The Cong Viettel responded by pushing forward in search of an equalizer. However, U21 Song Lam Nghe An maintained their defensive discipline and concentration to preserve the slender advantage until the final whistle. The 1-0 victory was enough to secure the national championship for the Nghe An-based side.
Although the attack provided the winning goal, U21 Song Lam Nghe An’s defense—and goalkeeper Cao Van Binh in particular—formed the foundation of their title-winning campaign. In the final, Van Binh produced at least three outstanding saves to deny dangerous efforts from U21 The Cong Viettel.
The goalkeeper commanded his penalty area with authority, while his quick reactions and excellent positioning helped neutralize the opposition’s attacking threats. Following a series of consistently impressive performances from the group stage through to the final, Cao Van Binh completed a remarkable individual double by winning both the Best Goalkeeper and Player of the Tournament awards.
For a goalkeeper to be named Player of the Tournament underlines Van Binh’s immense influence on his team’s championship success. The recognition also represents another important milestone as the young talent continues his development at both club and national-team levels.
The tournament’s closing and awards ceremony took place immediately after the final in a celebratory and emotional atmosphere. Alongside champions U21 Song Lam Nghe An and runners-up U21 The Cong Viettel, the organizers also honored the competition’s other outstanding teams and individuals.
U21 Hoang Anh Gia Lai and U21 Hanoi FC shared third place after being eliminated in the semifinals. U21 Hoang Anh Gia Lai also received the Fair Play Award in recognition of their positive style of football and exemplary sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
The U21 National Football Championship concluded after another dramatic and memorable campaign, reaffirming its status as one of Vietnam’s leading youth competitions and providing a valuable platform for the country’s next generation of football stars.
Pan Lee
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