CAHN suffers a bitter exit from the AFC Cup and Nguyen Dinh Bac experiences unbelievable bad luck.
A 1-3 defeat against Tampines Rovers officially eliminated CAHN from the continental tournament with an aggregate score of 1-6. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese women's national team has assembled early to prepare for the Asian Cup.
Hanoi Police Football Club (CAHN) officially ended its arduous journey in the continental arena after a 1-3 defeat against Tampines Rovers on the evening of February 18th. This loss not only marked the end of a V-League representative's journey but also left great sadness for young striker Nguyen Dinh Bac, due to ironic situations from VAR and administrative decisions.
An impossible mission and a sad ending for CAHN.
Entering the second leg, the Vietnamese team faced an immense challenge: they had to score at least four goals to reverse the 0-3 defeat in the first leg due to a player registration error. The immense psychological pressure led the CAHN coach's players to push forward from the start, striving to score early goals.
However, impatience in the final touches caused the red-shirted players to lack the necessary agility. Conversely, Tampines Rovers, with their overwhelming advantage, played confidently and thoroughly exploited the gaps in the visitors' high defensive line. The final score of 3-1 in favor of the Singaporean representative (6-1 on aggregate after two legs) officially eliminated CAHN from the AFC Cup.
The unbelievable bad luck of Nguyen Dinh Bac
The most notable moment of the match was the unfortunate miss by young talent Nguyen Dinh Bac. In the 53rd minute, the striker born in 2004 had a delicate shot that put the ball into the opponent's net. However, after consulting VAR technology, the referee disallowed the goal, determining that his teammate Alves Rogerio had committed a foul in the preceding situation.
Notably, this is the second time in this year's tournament that Dinh Bac has had his goal-scoring achievements "taken away." In the first leg at home, although CAHN actually won 4-0, that result was completely annulled due to administrative disciplinary action. The tireless efforts of this young star seem to have yet to be adequately rewarded by factors unrelated to purely professional matters.
The Vietnamese women's national team has assembled early to prepare for their World Cup aspirations.
While men's clubs are struggling in continental competitions, the Vietnamese women's national team has already begun its new journey for the Year of the Horse 2026. On the afternoon of the second day of Tet (February 18th), coach Mai Duc Chung and his team held their first training session of the new year in Hanoi to prepare for the 2026 Asian Cup Finals.
Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) President Tran Quoc Tuan was present to encourage the entire team, while affirming that the World Cup is a strategic goal that Vietnamese football is focusing its efforts on. According to the schedule, the team will train in Hanoi for 10 days before traveling to Perth (Australia) on February 27th to begin an intensive training camp.
Foreign player changes: Kristoffer Normann leaves Nam Dinh.
In the domestic league, Nam Dinh Steel Green FC has undergone a major personnel change. Norwegian midfielder Kristoffer Normann has officially joined Dalian Kuncheng FC (China) after a disappointing spell at Thien Truong Stadium. Despite possessing an impressive resume including European Cup appearances, Normann only scored one goal in seven matches and was unable to compete for a starting spot amidst Nam Dinh's declining form in the V-League.
This departure demonstrates the Nam Dinh team's determination to reform and salvage the season by pursuing more realistic goals such as the National Cup and the Southeast Asian Champions League.
