Nam Dinh triumphs 9-0 but eliminated from AFC Champions League Two

Vietnam's representative secured a massive victory over Eastern AA in their final group stage match at Thien Truong Stadium, yet fell short by two goals to secure a spot in the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026.

Nam Dinh FC delivered a commanding 9-0 victory over Eastern AA in their final AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026 group stage match at Thien Truong Stadium. Despite this dominant performance, the Vietnamese V-League champions were eliminated from the tournament, falling short by just two goals in goal difference.

Before the decisive matchday, Nam Dinh was third in Group F with 6 points and a -2 goal difference. They trailed Ratchaburi, who had 9 points and a +9 goal difference. To claim the group's remaining qualification spot, Nam Dinh needed to defeat Eastern by more than 10 goals and hope Ratchaburi lost to group leaders Gamba Osaka in their simultaneous fixture.

One crucial condition was met as Ratchaburi suffered a 0-2 defeat against the Japanese side, Gamba Osaka, in their concurrent match.

Despite a goal-scoring frenzy, Nam Dinh still couldn't secure a spot in the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026.

Driven by strong determination and playing on home turf, coach Mauro Jeronimo's team launched an immediate offensive. Throughout the match, Nam Dinh maintained approximately 70% possession, unleashing 25 shots with 15 on target. This intense pressure quickly yielded results. Within four minutes of the opening whistle, Caio Cesar and Kevin Pham Ba put Nam Dinh ahead 2-0. Ly Cong Hoang Anh, Romulo da Silva (with a brace), and Brenner subsequently found the net, giving the home side a commanding 6-0 lead by halftime.

In the second half, Nam Dinh continued to press the Hong Kong team. However, declining stamina and a degree of impatience prevented them from maintaining their first-half scoring efficiency. Aside from Brenner's second-half brace, which included a penalty kick, other Nam Dinh strikers struggled to convert chances. In stoppage time, the home team added one more goal courtesy of an own goal by Leung Chun Pong, bringing the final score to 9-0.

With the 9-0 victory, Nam Dinh's goal difference improved to +14. However, Ratchaburi's final goal difference stood at +15. This slender margin meant Nam Dinh had to bid farewell to the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026.

Nam Dinh's campaign left an impression with several emphatic victories, but inconsistencies in away matches proved costly. Notably, a 0-2 loss to Ratchaburi on matchday 5 significantly hampered their qualification chances. Coach Mauro Jeronimo's team will now shift their full attention to the V-League, where they currently sit 10th, 17 points behind league leaders Ninh Binh.