Before the match at Ha Tinh stadium on the evening of 18/4, a group of Hai Phong fans arrived early. They played music through loudspeakers, danced, waved the club's traditional flags, and ignited flares. When the team bus arrived, the group approached to greet and encourage the coaching staff and players. At this moment, someone was still holding a lit flare and waving it, leading to the accident.
According to a VnExpress source, Joaquim Lupeta "felt unwell" in his facial area after coming close to a flare. Flares typically reach temperatures from 1,200 to 3,000 degrees Celsius. Hai Phong club immediately took the Portuguese striker to the hospital for examination.
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Hai Phong striker Joaquim Lupeta (right) greets fans upon arriving at Ha Tinh stadium. |
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Hai Phong fans light flares outside Ha Tinh stadium on the afternoon of 18/4/2026. Photo: Screenshot |
Lupeta did not sustain a serious injury, but his late return from the hospital meant he was excluded from Hai Phong's starting lineup. The striker, born in 1993, joined during the mid-season transfer window and had yet to score after two matches, but his physical strength was crucial for the port city team's attack.
This unexpected change forced head coach Chu Dinh Nghiem to start striker Jourdain Fletcher. However, in the 42nd minute, Fletcher sustained an injury, compelling coach Nghiem to bring Lupeta into the game early.
In this match, Hai Phong conceded in the 20th minute from a shot by Charles Atshimene inside the penalty area. They later had opportunities to equalize but were denied by the post and the excellent performance of goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Tung.
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Hai Phong striker Joaquim Lupeta (white shirt) comes off the bench to play in the 0-1 loss to Ha Tinh in the 19th round of V-League 2025-2026, at Ha Tinh stadium on 18/4/2026. Photo: Xuan Thuy |
"Lupeta is a key striker, but he had to go to the hospital for examination, which changed our plans", coach Nghiem stated at the post-match press conference. "Then, the substitute striker also got injured. We had chances to equalize, but we were unlucky".
Before this match, Hai Phong was without Dam Tien Dung due to a suspension after accumulating three yellow cards. Two key players, Nguyen Huu Nam and Trieu Viet Hung, were also injured. However, coach Nghiem acknowledged that Ha Tinh deserved their victory, demonstrating greater desire.
The loss ended Hai Phong's two-match winning streak. They remained in 5th position with 27 points, one point ahead of Cong an TP HCM but having played one more match. Ha Tinh moved to 9th position with 23 points, 11 points clear of bottom-placed Da Nang, also having played one more match.
Trung Thu
