Vietnamese Football News Roundup March 9th: Hanoi FC Wins Derby, Pressure Rises at Asian Cup 2026
Hanoi FC wins a dramatic derby; Philippines defeats Iran, putting pressure on the Vietnamese women's team; Nguyen Xuan Son disappoints with a series of unbelievable missed opportunities in the V-League.
The Hanoi derby in Round 15 of the V-League 2025/2026 between Hanoi FC and CAHN was a dramatic affair. Do Hoang Hen became the hero for the purple-shirted team, scoring a crucial brace to secure a 2-1 victory for Hanoi FC. Although CAHN managed a consolation goal from a penalty kick by Leonardo Artur in the 90+9th minute, that late effort was not enough to change the outcome.
Besides the technical aspects of the game, it also drew attention due to a tense clash in the 33rd minute. After a foul resulting in a yellow card, CAHN defender Doan Van Hau proactively approached his former teammate to shake hands and apologize. However, Hanoi FC captain Van Quyet coldly turned away, refusing this gesture of reconciliation, reflecting the extreme intensity of the derby match.
Asian Cup 2026: Philippines breathing down Vietnam's women's team's neck.
In the continental arena, the situation in Group A of the 2026 Asian Cup is becoming extremely unpredictable. In the matches on the afternoon of March 8th, the Philippines women's team defeated Iran 2-0. This result helped the Southeast Asian representative move up to third place overall with 3 points (goal difference -2), thereby putting direct pressure on the Vietnam and Uzbekistan women's teams in the race for a wildcard spot in the quarterfinals.
Currently, the Vietnamese women's team has 3 points and a goal difference of 0. Coach Mai Duc Chung's team still holds their fate in their own hands. To secure qualification and keep their hopes of participating in the 2027 World Cup alive, the Vietnamese team needs to earn at least 1 point in their final match against strong opponent Japan on March 10th.
Nguyen Xuan Son misses an unbelievable chance, The Cong Viettel secures second place.
In other V-League developments, Nam Dinh FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against PVF-CAND thanks to a late goal from Lucas Alves in the 90th minute. Notably, star striker Nguyen Xuan Son had a strangely unlucky day, squandering three clear-cut scoring opportunities, including two shots that hit the post and one missed tap-in from less than a meter away from an empty net.
Meanwhile, Khuat Van Khang continued to assert his influence at The Cong Viettel. With a spectacular long-range goal and an assist, the captain of the Vietnam U23 team played a major role in helping his team overcome Becamex Ho Chi Minh City with a 3-1 victory. This win helped the military team solidify their second position in the V-League standings.
The fierce competition for the national team's goalkeeper spot.
The performance of goalkeepers in the V-League is causing the head coach of the Vietnamese national team a pleasant headache. Patrik Le Giang (CAHN), after obtaining Vietnamese citizenship in early 2026, has consistently proven his class with spectacular saves. Conversely, young star Tran Trung Kien of HAGL is also showing remarkable progress.
The rise of these two names seriously threatens the number one positions of Nguyen Filip and Dang Van Lam. With all goalkeepers currently in top form, the competition for the starting spot in the national team is expected to be extremely fierce in the near future.
