Nam Dinh continued its impressive run in the V-League 2025-2026, securing a 1-0 victory over Thanh Hoa in round 16 on 13/3 at Thien Truong Stadium in Ninh Binh. The decisive moment came in the 78th minute when Nguyen Xuan Son provided a crucial assist for Akolo Ababa, extending Nam Dinh's winning streak to three matches and significantly boosting their position in the league standings.

The winning goal unfolded in the 78th minute when Dang Van Toi delivered a low pass from near midfield to the edge of the penalty area. Despite tight marking from Abdurakhmanov, Nguyen Xuan Son skillfully held his ground and inadvertently released the ball. Akolo Ababa quickly seized the opportunity, taking a touch before striking with his left foot to find the back of the net. The crowd at Thien Truong Stadium erupted in joyous cheers, and Akolo celebrated passionately with his teammates at the corner flag. In the technical area, coach Vu Hong Viet smiled contentedly, acknowledging his players' persistent efforts to break through the opponent's defense.

Nguyen Xuan Son (white shirt) held off a defender to assist Akolo Ababa's goal in Nam Dinh's 1-0 victory over Thanh Hoa in V-League 2025-2026 round 16, at Thien Truong Stadium in Ninh Binh on 13/3. *Photo: Nam Dinh FC*

Thanh Hoa entered round 16 facing significant challenges, as FIFA had not yet lifted their transfer ban. With the transfer window closing in four days, they were unable to add new players to their squad. Despite these limitations, Thanh Hoa demonstrated admirable mental resilience on the road, fielding a squad of 17 players, including three goalkeepers.

From kickoff, Nam Dinh pressed forward with attacking intent, but they encountered an inspired Y Eli Nie in the Thanh Hoa goal. In the 13th minute, Xuan Son's shot towards the bottom right corner was saved. Six minutes later, Percy Tau's free-kick from about 22 meters narrowly missed the target. Son then had another chance in the 22nd minute, but his difficult header grazed the left post and went wide.

The second half saw Y Eli Nie produce another superb diving save, parrying Lucas Alves' powerful bouncing header. The ball predominantly remained in Thanh Hoa's half, but the hosts struggled to create clear attacking chances until Akolo capitalized on an opportunity to score. In the 81st minute, Nam Dinh nearly doubled their lead when the Thanh Hoa goalkeeper cleared the ball, only for it to hit Xuan Son's head and fly just wide of the right post.

Just as Nam Dinh seemed set to comfortably hold onto their lead, drama unfolded in the 88th minute. Rimario sprinted into the penalty area to receive a through ball from a teammate but was fouled by Lucas Alves. Initially, referee Nguyen Manh Hai pointed to the penalty spot. However, after consulting VAR and reviewing the video, the referee determined the foul occurred just outside the penalty area and upgraded Lucas's yellow card to a red. Thanh Hoa failed to convert the dangerous free-kick opportunity, and the six minutes of added time were not enough for the visitors to secure a point.

This third consecutive victory propelled Nam Dinh to 7th place with 21 points, 14 points behind league leaders Cong an Ha Noi, having played two more matches. Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa sits in 12th place with 13 points, two points clear of bottom-placed PVF-CAND, having played one more match.

Starting lineups:

Nam Dinh: Tran Nguyen Manh, Lucas Alves, Dang Van Toi, Van Vi, Kevin Pham Ba, Ly Cong Hoang Anh, Caio Cesar, Percy Tau, Lam Ti Phong, Tran Van Dat, Xuan Son

Thanh Hoa: Y Eli Nie, Doan Ngoc Ha, Ba Tien, Trinh Van Loi, Dinh Huyen, Abdurakhmanov, Van Tung, Ngoc My, Damoth Thongkhamsavath, Doan Ngoc Tan, Rimario.

Hieu Luong