U.23 Vietnam player scores, Da Nang regretfully draws with defending champion Nam Dinh: New coach 'almost cried'

Coach Nguyen Trung Kien had a stormy debut day, when Nam Dinh Club was missing 7 important players due to injury and played weakly against Da Nang Club, until Lucas snatched 1 point at the end of the match.

U.23 Vietnam player Phi Hoang (21, opened the score in the 14th minute) blocked Van Dat's dribbling path.

Photo: Nam Dinh Club

So U.23 Vietnam scored against Nam Dinh Club

Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien debuted as head coach of Nam Dinh Club with many difficulties, when the defending champion had 2/3 of the team absent due to injury, when welcoming Da Nang Club with many U.23 Vietnam players who were very thirsty for points after 2 consecutive losses.

The inability to have the services of Hong Duy, Tuan Anh, Van Toan Caio, Romulo, Percy Tau, Kylle Farren... has greatly affected Nam Dinh Club's playing style, clearly shown through the disjointed and unchanging attack.

Things got worse when in a lightning attack in the 14th minute, Da Nang Club opened the score after a series of shots, when U.23 Vietnam player Phi Hoang shot past goalkeeper Nguyen Manh without any pressure from Nam Dinh Club's defense.

Lam Ti Phong surrounded by Da Nang players

Photo: Nam Dinh Club

This goal made the home team at Thien Truong Stadium even more depressed, not only in their playing style but also in their running steps, or their sighs after their crosses went too wrong. It was also a psychological problem after 2 months of Nam Dinh Club not winning in LPBank V-League 2025 - 2026.

Nam Dinh Club remembers Xuan Son

In the second half, Coach Trung Kien sent a series of players onto the field to improve the attack such as Romulo, Dinh Son, Van Kien and Hoang Anh. However, despite their best efforts, they could not impose the strong attacking style that helped them win 2 consecutive V-League championships.

In the last 20 minutes, when Da Nang Club decided to lower their formation and defend with a large number of players to preserve their points while waiting for a quick counter-attack opportunity, Nam Dinh Club created more pressure in the away team's third of the field.

Lucas (left) struggled to find a point for Nam Dinh Club

photo: Nam Dinh club

Nam Dinh FC has never missed Xuan Son so much after witnessing the strikers take 13 shots but only 4 of them were on target, against a Da Nang FC defense that had conceded 12 goals in the previous 7 matches.

It wasn't until the 89th minute, when center-back Lucas was pushed up to play as a striker, that Nam Dinh Club made a difference, when the 1.93 m tall player jumped high to head the ball from his teammate's left wing to equalize 1-1.

This goal helped coach Nguyen Trung Kien avoid a defeat at Thien Truong Stadium, while Da Nang Club regretfully lost the 3 precious points.

However, it is very clear that ahead of coach Trung Kien and Nam Dinh Club will be many challenges, not only the "injury storm" but also the physical and mental problems that the defending champion is facing.

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tuyen-thu-u23-viet-nam-ghi-ban-da-nang-hoa-tiec-nuoi-dkvd-nam-dinh-tan-hlv-suyt-khoc-185251027200308726.htm