Khoa Ngo scored the decisive goal, sending Ho Chi Minh City Police FC into the semi-finals of the 2025/2026 National Cup.

Ho Chi Minh City Police FC officially secured their place in the semi-finals of the 2025/2026 National Cup after a thrilling 1-0 victory over Dong Nai at Thong Nhat Stadium. In a match where VAR technology and yellow cards were the focus, Vietnamese-born striker Khoa Ngo played the hero, helping coach Le Huynh Duc's team realize their goal of winning a medal this season.

A back-and-forth game and pressure from the lower-ranked team.

Despite being considered the underdog, Dong Nai, under coach Viet Thang, entered the match with incredible confidence. The visiting team deployed a high-pressing style of play from the very first minutes, causing the stars of Ho Chi Minh City Police to struggle to build up play from their own half. The pace of the game was constantly high with fierce clashes in the midfield area.

The match was quickly disrupted by serious injuries. In the 34th minute, Van Son of Dong Nai was forced to leave the field early. Meanwhile, Lee Williams of the home team also needed special medical attention after a strong head collision. The deadlock for Ho Chi Minh City Police was evident as their attacking players, such as Dinh Thanh Binh and Tien Linh, were unable to beat the experienced goalkeeper Tan Truong in the first half.

The turning point came from VAR and Tan Sinh's red card.

In the second half, coach Le Huynh Duc made tactical adjustments, focusing on exploiting the left flank where Khoa Ngo was positioned. The speed and dribbling ability of this Vietnamese-born player became key to creating opportunities for the home team at Thong Nhat Stadium.

In the 71st minute, the match reached its climax when Khoa Ngo made a powerful run into the penalty area and was fouled by center-back Tan Sinh. After more than 3 minutes of consulting VAR technology, the main referee made a decision that changed the course of the game: a penalty for CA TP.HCM and a direct red card for Tan Sinh.

From the penalty spot in the 76th minute, Khoa Ngo made no mistake to beat Tan Truong, opening the scoring. This goal not only relieved the pressure on the home team but also put Dong Nai in a difficult position with ten men for the remainder of the match.

Protect your lead and secure your place in the semi-finals.

In the final minutes of the match, Dong Nai tried to push forward to find an equalizer, but their personnel shortage meant their attacks were easily thwarted. Striker Alex Sandro was completely isolated from his teammates by the tight defense of the home team at Thong Nhat Stadium.

For Ho Chi Minh City Police, Tien Linh nearly ended his 11-match goalless streak if his clear-cut shot in injury time had been more accurate. Nevertheless, a narrow 1-0 victory was enough for coach Le Huynh Duc's team to secure their place in the semi-finals of this year's National Cup.

Match statistics