HAGL escaped defeat in the 100th minute, coach praised Dinh Quang Kiet

In the 10th minute of injury time (100th minute, according to the source), Dinh Quang Kiet scored his first goal in V-League, helping HAGL keep 1 point against Da Nang in round 11. Not a familiar header from the 1.95 m tall center back, the equalizer came from a situation of entering the penalty area and finishing quickly.

Timely penetration, HAGL escaped defeat in round 11

In the context of HAGL facing the risk of losing, Quang Kiet chose the moment to step into the 16m50 area to shoot. The situation showed that the 1.95m-born center-back is not only strong in aerial combat but also knows how to exploit the space in the penalty area - a quality that was emphasized immediately after the match.

Coach Le Quang Trai: emphasizes exploiting physical form and space

Sharing after the match, head coach Le Quang Trai said: “Dinh Quang Kiet's recent goal can be considered the result of our working sessions. In the coaching staff's analysis, he has good height and I told Quang Kiet to take full advantage of his body and exploit the gaps on the field. I hope that Quang Kiet will continue to develop his ability to contribute well to the upcoming Vietnam U23 team.”

The coach also reiterated HAGL’s training philosophy: prioritizing thinking and technique. But currently the team from the mountain town owns players with outstanding physique such as Dinh Quang Kiet and goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien. “We are very lucky to have such players. Hopefully, the two of them will contribute to the Vietnam national team and U23 Vietnam,” he said.

Height becomes HAGL's tactical advantage

Quang Kiet’s goal did not come from an aerial ball, but it was the 1.95m centre-back’s muscles, stride and positioning that made the difference in an instant. When the opponent sat deep to protect their advantage, a late run from the back could break the defensive structure – exactly the “exploit the space” instruction set by the coaching staff.

U23 Vietnam and the "two towers" of HAGL

In this gathering, U23 Vietnam has two players over 1.9 m at the same time, both from HAGL: goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien (1.91 m) and center back Dinh Quang Kiet (1.95 m). According to sources, this is the first time in the history of U23 Vietnam that two players over 1.9 m tall have been called up at the same time. Previously, Quang Kiet was known as the center back with the "most terrifying" height when he was called up to the national team at the end of August.

Continuously playing in the V-League and just scoring his first goal helps this central defender increase his points in the competition for a starting position in the U23 Vietnam team – just as expected from the HAGL coaching staff.

Notable numbers

• Minute of goal: 10th injury time (100th minute, according to source).
• Goal: Dinh Quang Kiet's first in V-League.
• Height: Dinh Quang Kiet 1.95 m; Tran Trung Kien 1.91 m.
• Match: HAGL equalized with Da Nang in round 11.
• U23 Vietnam: For the first time, 2 players over 1.9 m tall were called up at the same time (according to source).

Immediate impact and career advancement

The late goal helped HAGL avoid defeat and strengthen their belief in a balanced development direction between technique and physicality. For Dinh Quang Kiet personally, the moment in the 100th minute was a memorable milestone: both affirming his role at the club and opening up opportunities to contribute to U23 Vietnam as expected by coach Le Quang Trai.