Ho Chi Minh City Police won the 2025/26 National Cup after a 2-1 victory over Ninh Binh.
By defeating strong opponent Ninh Binh on their home ground, coach Phung Thanh Phuong's team officially became champions and secured a ticket to participate in the ASEAN Club Championship.
The 2025/26 National Cup final concluded with a surprising outcome as Ho Chi Minh City Police Club (CA TPHCM) defeated the home team Ninh Binh 2-1. Overcoming pre-match predictions, CA TPHCM wrote an impressive journey to claim the top spot in the tournament.
Tactical transformation under coach Phùng Thanh Phương
Before the match, Ninh Binh was considered the favorite due to their home advantage and impressive head-to-head record. In this season's V-League, the team from the ancient capital had previously won 4-3 away and drawn 1-1 at home against the same opponent. However, Ho Chi Minh City Police entered the final with a completely different performance.
Since taking over the team from coach Le Huynh Duc, Phung Thanh Phuong has built a more disciplined and pragmatic playing style. The cohesion between the lines and the determined spirit have helped CA Ho Chi Minh City withstand the pressure from coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's team. Instead of the inconsistent play at the beginning of the season, the team representing Ho Chi Minh City has made good use of opportunities to establish a lead.
Patrik Le Giang and the hero's performance
The biggest highlight in Ho Chi Minh City Police's victory was goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang. Facing relentless attacks from Ninh Binh, the goalkeeper had an outstanding performance with a series of impressive saves.
In particular, Patrik Le Giang neutralized dangerous shots from Gustavo and Hoang Duc, providing a solid psychological boost for the defense. Although Nguyen Tai Loc reduced the deficit to 1-2 for Ninh Binh in the 74th minute from a penalty kick, the tenacious defending of the Ho Chi Minh City Police defenders in the final minutes preserved the winning result.
The gateway to regional prominence in the ASEAN Club Championship.
Winning the National Cup not only brought the first prestigious title to coach Phùng Thanh Phương at his new club but also opened up great opportunities in continental competitions. With this result, CA TPHCM officially became the last representative of Vietnamese football to participate in the ASEAN Club Championship next season.
The victory on Ninh Binh's home ground is proof of the correctness of the club's personnel and tactical changes. From a team facing many difficulties at the beginning of the season, CA TPHCM has strongly revived to end the season with a historic title, leaving a strong mark on the hearts of Vietnamese football fans in 2026.
