The match at Hang Day Stadium tonight featured the only goal, scored in the 68th minute. From 25 meters, Khuat Van Khang struck a left-footed shot that swerved, forcing goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh into a difficult save. Subsequently, Le Quoc Nhat Nam was quickest to react, slotting in the rebound. Initially, the linesman raised the flag for offside, but VAR intervention confirmed the goal's validity.

Following the Lunar New Year break, both The Cong and Nam Dinh entered the rescheduled match feeling energetic and aiming for a positive result. Xuan Son led the champions' attack. Meanwhile, coach Velizar Popov countered by deploying foreign midfielder Paulo Martins as a center-back, tasking him with closely marking the opponent's most dangerous striker.

Midfielder Paulo Martins (in red) marking Nguyen Xuan Son during The Cong's 1-0 victory over Nam Dinh in a rescheduled round 10 V-League 2025-2026 match, at Hang Day Stadium in Ha Noi on 24/2/2026. *Photo: Hoang Huynh*

The Bulgarian coach's tactical setup proved effective. Xuan Son had only one clear chance in the 61st minute, but his turn and shot inside the box were denied by an excellent reflex save from goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet. The striker, born in 1997, grew increasingly frustrated towards the end of the match, even lashing out at the referee and his teammates.

The match was tight throughout, with few scoring opportunities. Instead, players engaged fiercely, readily committing fouls to disrupt each other's play. Furthermore, referee Hoang Thanh Binh's decisions drew mixed reactions.

In the 18th minute, Khuat Van Khang delivered a swirling corner kick from the right flank into the 5.5-meter box. Dinh Viet Tu was in a more advantageous position than goalkeeper Nguyen Manh to connect with the ball and put it into the net. However, referee Binh whistled for a foul against the home player. The Cong players protested strongly, but the decision stood after VAR intervention.

The Cong midfielder Le Quoc Nhat Nam celebrates his 68th-minute goal. *Photo: Hoang Huynh*

For the remainder of the match, referee Binh frequently blew his whistle and conversed with players from both sides. He also received reports twice from fourth official Nguyen Viet Duan before heading to The Cong's technical area to issue a total of 4 yellow cards and one red card to coach Velizar Popov's assistants. However, these incidents did not deter The Cong's focus on preserving their minimal lead.

The victory helped The Cong consolidate third place with 25 points, placing them two points behind Ninh Binh. Meanwhile, Cong an Ha Noi leads with 32 points and one game in hand.

For Nam Dinh, they have endured 10 consecutive winless matches in the V-League, including four defeats. The defending champions concluded the first leg in 10th place – their lowest since the 2022 season (12th) – with 12 points, five points above bottom-placed Da Nang and having played one more match.

Nam Dinh's goal of becoming the first team to win three consecutive V-League titles is increasingly out of reach. They are currently 20 points behind league leaders Cong an Ha Noi and have played one more game.

Starting Lineups

The Cong: Van Viet, Kyle Colonna, Phan Tuan Tai, Dinh Viet Tu, Nguyen Duc Hoang Minh, Van Tu, Wesley Nata, Khuat Van Khang, Paulo Martins, Lucao Vinicius, Nham Manh Dung

Nam Dinh: Tran Nguyen Manh, Lucas Alves, Duong Thanh Hao, Dinh Son, Tran Van Kien, Caio Cesar, Romulo, To Van Vu, Lam Ti Phong, Ly Cong Hoang Anh, Xuan Son.

Hieu Luong