Ninh Binh draws 1-1 with Ho Chi Minh City Police Club: Overseas Vietnamese player equalizes in injury time.

The match between Ninh Binh and Ho Chi Minh City Police took place at 6 PM on May 23rd in Round 24 of the V.League 2025-2026. Ninh Binh and Ho Chi Minh City Police shared the points with goals from Gustavo and Lee Williams.

Ninh Binh and Ho Chi Minh City Police started the match with an attacking style of play. The home team created more pressure thanks to Hoang Duc's ability to control the tempo and the movements of Geovane and Gustavo. However, with Le Giang playing attentively, Ninh Binh's early opportunities were all denied.

On the other side of the pitch, Ho Chi Minh City Police also caused the home team's defense to falter several times with the speed of Lee Williams and Raphael. The match became tense in the 13th minute when Gustavo fell in the penalty area after Le Giang's rush out. The referee initially awarded Ninh Binh a penalty, but VAR intervened and the decision was changed.

Ninh Binh won 1-0 against Ho Chi Minh City Police. (Source: Ninh Binh FC)

After a period of back-and-forth action, the home team pressed more aggressively, forcing the Ho Chi Minh City Police defense to work hard. The visitors even managed to put the ball into the net in the 26th minute, but it was disallowed due to offside.

The relentless pressure finally made the difference for Ninh Binh in the 40th minute. From a ball recovery on the left wing, Geovane delivered a cross for Gustavo to leap high and head the ball into the net, opening the scoring. This beautiful goal allowed the home team to end the first half with a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Ho Chi Minh City Police pushed their formation higher in an attempt to find an equalizer. In the 58th minute, Raphael made a daring move, cutting in from the right wing and unleashing a powerful shot towards the near corner. However, Van Lam once again reacted quickly. Meanwhile, Ninh Binh maintained a tight defensive formation, although the final touches from Gia Hung and Hoang Duc were not entirely effective.

In the 75th minute, Lee Williams missed a chance when he cleverly broke free to receive a cross from the right wing. He was unmarked and not offside, but his shot went over the crossbar. In a one-on-one situation in injury time, Lee Williams couldn't beat the excellent reflexes of Dang Van Lam. However, from a free kick on the right wing taken by Minh Trong, Lee Williams rose high to head the ball against the post, then pounced on the rebound to score from close range. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Starting lineup

Ninh Binh: Van Lam (1), Tien Anh (66), Thanh Thinh (6), Quang Nho (86), Duc Chien (7), Thanh Trung (8), Hoang Duc (28), Geovane (94), Hai Duc (26), Gustavo (68), Friday (5).

Ho Chi Minh City Police: Le Giang (89), Quang Hung (34), Makrillos (7), Gia Bao (13), Ngoc Long (18), Minh Trong (17), Duc Phu (39), Endrick (14), Hoang Phuc (28), Lee Williams (66), Raphael (10).