Ninh Binh entered the match against Ho Chi Minh City Police with the goal of securing a victory to continue chasing The Cong Viettel in the race for second place and a spot in next season's AFC Champions League Two. However, the home team endured a tense match and only managed a 1-1 draw.

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Newly naturalized Vietnamese player Tài Lộc (in red shirt) is helpless against Ho Chi Minh City police - Photo: Cao Oanh

From the very first minutes, Ho Chi Minh City Police created significant pressure. In the 5th minute, goalkeeper Dang Van Lam had to make a save after a powerful long-range shot from Lee Williams. Shortly after, Ngoc Long missed an opportunity to open the scoring with an inaccurate rebound shot.

Conversely, Ninh Binh also created several dangerous situations. Patrik Le Giang made an excellent save from Geovane's volley, before VAR intervened to overturn a penalty awarded to the home team. The exciting back-and-forth game continued with numerous opportunities created towards both goals.

The turning point came in the 40th minute when Geovane delivered a precise cross from the left wing, allowing Gustavo to leap high and head the ball into the net against Ho Chi Minh City Police. This goal gave Ninh Binh a lead going into halftime.

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Ninh Binh lost the victory in injury time - Photo: Cao Oanh