Tien Linh's return

Striker Tien Linh will face a tough match as he and his former team, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC, take on his former club, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC, in Round 4 of the V-League 2025-2026, at 6 PM today (September 21st) at Go Dau Stadium (broadcast live on FPT Play).

Tien Linh (right) returns to Binh Duong with mixed feelings - Photo: NK

Having played for the first team of Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC (formerly Becamex Binh Duong) for nearly 10 years, Tien Linh has never experienced the joy of winning the V-League championship. When he was promoted to the first team in 2016, the team from Binh Duong had begun to decline after winning two consecutive V-League titles in 2015 and 2016.

But it was also from the launching pad of Becamex Binh Duong Club that Tien Linh first won the "Vietnamese Golden Ball 2024". Therefore, returning to face his former team for the first time still brings Tien Linh a very special feeling.

Tien Linh scored on his debut for Ho Chi Minh City Police FC in their opening match, a 2-1 victory against Hanoi FC at Thong Nhat Stadium. However, in the following three matches, he failed to score any goals despite having numerous opportunities and faced criticism from many.

This forced coach Le Huynh Duc to speak out in defense of Tien Linh after the 0-0 draw against reigning champions Nam Dinh in the early match of round 6 at Thong Nhat Stadium on September 13th. Therefore, against Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC, Tien Linh was compelled to score to prove his worth and the expectations that CATP FC had for him.

Under the guidance of coach Le Huynh Duc, CATP FC is off to a good start. The team is undefeated at Thong Nhat Stadium with 7 points after 3 matches. However, their away record is not yet satisfactory after a 0-3 defeat against The Cong - Viettel. Therefore, CATP FC must make changes for their second away match at Go Dau Stadium. The outcome now largely depends on Tien Linh's goal-scoring ability and the tactical acumen of coach Le Huynh Duc.

Unlike the visiting team, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC is having a poor start after losing their best striker. Coach Nguyen Anh Duc's team has won 1 and lost 2 matches, ranking 9th in the standings. Poor form, coupled with off-field issues, is having a significant impact.

Recent reports of players faking injuries to avoid playing, unpaid wages, etc., have forced Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC to issue clarifications and denials. However, only those involved truly know the facts.

Furthermore, the fact that the two foreign strikers, Ugochukwu Oduenyi and Origbaajo Ismaila, were unable to enter the country after returning from the V-League's temporary break following round 3 due to paperwork issues has also significantly affected coach Nguyen Anh Duc's professional preparation.

It wasn't until September 19th that everything was settled, allowing the Nigerian striker duo to return to Vietnam yesterday (September 20th). However, their participation in the match against CATP remains uncertain due to a lack of necessary fitness.

Playing with one foreign player and one naturalized player, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC lost 1-3 to First Division team Truong Tuoi Dong Nai in the recent qualifying round of the 2025-2026 National Cup. Therefore, if they don't have enough foreign players, the home team will likely suffer another defeat against CATP.

* Live broadcast schedule for the Song Lam Nghe An - Hong Linh Ha Tinh match (6 PM, FPT Play).

V-League Round 4 Results: PVF CAND - SHB Da Nang 2-2, Thanh Hoa - Hai Phong 2-2, Hanoi - The Cong Viettel 1-1.

Results of Round 1 of the First Division: Dong Thap - Xuan Thien Phu Tho 1-1, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai - Ho Chi Minh City 2-2.

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NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ngay-tro-ve-cua-tien-linh-2025092110453692.htm