Ninh Binh, 25 September, 2025 – Nam Dinh FC battled to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over defending Cambodian champions Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC (PKR Svay Rieng) in their opening match of the ASEAN Club Championship 2025/26, thanks to a first-half brace from Lam Ti Phong.
The Vietnamese side entered the continental clash under pressure after a poor domestic run that saw them lose to Song Lam Nghe An, draw with Cong An Ho Chi Minh City, and fall 0-2 to Ninh Binh in V.League 1. With morale low, head coach Vu Hong Viet turned to a mix of experienced local players and a full-strength foreign contingent in hopes of reigniting their season at Thien Truong Stadium.
Despite the home advantage, Nam Dinh started nervously and even allowed the visitors to dominate early phases, with Svay Rieng’s physical foreign attackers causing problems. But against the run of play, Ti Phong delivered a stunning curling strike from the edge of the area in the 36th minute to break the deadlock.
The opener transformed Nam Dinh’s confidence. Just four minutes later, Ti Phong combined with Kristoffer, whose shot struck the post, before pouncing on the rebound to double the lead at 2-0. The home crowd roared, sensing the worst of their side’s slump might finally be behind them.
However, the match turned dramatically after halftime. In the 59th minute, striker Eid Mahmoud was shown a straight red card for violent conduct following an off-the-ball incident. Reduced to 10 men, Nam Dinh were forced to sit deep and absorb waves of pressure from the Cambodian champions.
The visitors pressed forward relentlessly, with Ghanaian striker Kwame Peprah striking the crossbar in the 64th minute. Eventually, they pulled one back in the 81st minute when Patrick Monteiro unleashed a long-range strike that deflected off defender Lucas and wrong-footed goalkeeper Caique.
The final 10 minutes were tense as Svay Rieng poured forward, but Nam Dinh’s depleted side held firm to secure three precious points.
With the win, Nam Dinh move level on points with Svay Rieng in Group B, sitting second behind Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), who have two wins from two matches.
The victory was crucial but came at a heavy cost. Playing more than half an hour with 10 men left the squad drained, posing a challenge ahead of their V.League showdown with Hanoi Police FC just three days later. Coach Vu Hong Viet acknowledged the physical toll but praised his team’s resilience: “We showed great spirit today. Even when down to 10 men, the players fought hard and protected the result. This victory gives us confidence, but we must recover quickly for the challenges ahead.”
Nam Dinh will look to build momentum on both domestic and continental fronts as they continue their packed schedule, hoping that Ti Phong’s heroics can spark a turnaround in form.
Hong Phuc
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