Nguyen Tien Linh had endured a 15-match goal drought across all competitions, including 11 consecutive V.League games, since his last goal against SLNA on September 27, 2025. His prolonged poor form contributed to CA Ho Chi Minh City losing four of their last five matches, leading to coach Le Huynh Duc's departure.
For the match, interim coach Phung Thanh Phuong opted to bench Tien Linh. However, the home side at Go Dau Stadium struggled, conceding an own goal by defender Khong Minh Gia Bao in the 12th minute, giving SLNA an early lead.
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Teammates celebrate with Nguyen Tien Linh (22) after he scored to help CA Ho Chi Minh City FC win 3-1 against SLNA in V.League 2025-2026 round 22 on the evening of May 10. Photo: *Vien Le*
CA Ho Chi Minh City pressed for an equalizer, with efforts from Lee Williams and Raphael Utzig disallowed for offside. The home team's persistence paid off in the 45th minute when Williams earned a penalty after being fouled by Hoang Van Khanh. The striker, born in 2007, converted from 11 meters, leveling the score at 1-1.
Coach Phung Thanh Phuong made tactical changes in the second half, introducing Bui Ngoc Long for Dinh Thanh Binh, and then bringing on Tien Linh in the 61st minute. Just five minutes later, the number 22 striker ended his drought with a powerful run into the penalty area, followed by a clinical finish. His teammates rushed to celebrate with the national team striker.
SLNA, playing without suspended goalkeeper Cao Van Binh, saw his replacement Nguyen Huu Hau perform well, though he ultimately couldn't prevent the defeat. In the 88th minute, Phan Ba Quyen's misplaced back pass allowed foreign player Raphael to score easily, securing a 3-1 victory for CA Ho Chi Minh City.
This win propelled CA Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Linh to 32 points, moving them to 6th place. SLNA, meanwhile, dropped to 9th with 24 points.
Post-match, Tien Linh expressed gratitude to the coaching staff and his teammates for their support during his difficult period. He stated, "I always strive to be confident every day. Recently, I trained diligently and listened to the encouragement from the coaching staff and my teammates. Today, the entire team followed the tactics and displayed great spirit. This victory is dedicated to the fans of CA Ho Chi Minh City". He added, "I hope this win will be a morale boost for the team to achieve good results in the future".
Duc Dong
