A season full of emotions.

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The matches were played fairly and objectively.

Referee Nguyen Dinh Thai - Head of the Referee Team for the 26th Nghe An Newspaper Cup.

"This season, the referees' officiating of the matches went smoothly, with decisive and reasonable decisions. There were few tense situations requiring consultations with the referee team throughout the 64 matches played in both age groups. This demonstrates that the tournament was open, exciting, and found a worthy champion. This was also the initial goal set in the pre-season professional meetings and was strictly adhered to throughout the tournament."

This season saw a slight change: the offside rule was not applied to the youth category as in previous years. As a result, there were more attacking situations and more goals scored, creating excitement and intensity in each match. Regarding penalties, only one red card was issued, not for a tackle but for a professional foul when the goalkeeper rushed out to catch the ball outside the penalty area. This shows that the players, despite their determination, also played fairly, avoiding the intense and aggressive situations often seen in teams of this age.

A special feature this year is that the 20-member refereeing team includes one female referee, Nguyen Thi Thi (born in 2001), who officiated the youth semi-final match. This is a breath of fresh air in the 26-year history of the tournament. She is considered by the Nghe An Football Federation to be a very talented and promising female referee, and may continue to be involved with the tournament in future seasons.

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An emotional championship.

Coach Ho Huu Tien - Hoang Mai town

"From the very beginning of the season, the Hoang Mai Town Children's team always approached the competition with a mindset of self-awareness and caution in every match, as there were many strong teams competing, such as Quynh Luu, Yen Thanh, Quy Hop, Vinh City, Tan Ky… and with determination and team spirit, the 'youngest' team from Hoang Mai town won the championship in the children's age group in a very emotional victory after a penalty shootout against Quy Hop. Even now, my teachers and I are still teary-eyed with emotion, unable to believe it's true."

This glory stems not only from the efforts and determination of the teachers and students, the support of the town's leaders and parents, but also from the large-scale and professional organization of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup tournament. From information reflecting the training spirit of the teachers and students before the tournament, to the matches and behind-the-scenes stories… In particular, the final match was broadcast live on many platforms, allowing people at home to watch their children compete remotely when they couldn't be in Vinh City. Currently, parents and a large number of people in Hoang Mai town are sharing in the joy of the home team's victory."

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The tournament was organized on a very large scale.

Coach Van Duc Tri - Con Cuong District

"This year marks the first time Con Cuong district has participated in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup with two age groups. This is the most prestigious and largest sports tournament for teenagers and children in the province, so the district leaders strongly support and accompany the children. We have observed that this year's tournament is well-organized and meticulously planned. From personnel checks to match management and support for the teams, the Organizing Committee has paid close attention to all aspects, so the teams feel confident and can compete with dedication."

Although both of our Con Cuong teams were eliminated in the group stage this year, we are not discouraged and will use this as motivation to be more determined in future seasons. The children have also experienced a major tournament and will gain valuable experience. We hope that after this tournament, Con Cuong district will have a satellite team of Song Lam Nghe An to nurture football talents among our children, just like other districts."

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Coach Van Thanh Chuong – Thanh Chuong District

For the second consecutive year, we've reached the top four.

This year's Nghe An Newspaper Cup was very professionally organized. Before the season started, reporters visited the locality to report on the training spirit, and during the tournament, both coaches and students received attention in every match. Thanh Chuong District also excelled, reaching the semi-finals in the youth category, marking the second consecutive year reaching the top four; this is a proud achievement against many strong teams in the province.

To ensure even greater success in future seasons, the teachers and students of Thanh Chuong district hope that the Organizing Committee will arrange for longer match schedules to allow the students more time to rest and recover. In addition, if the teams win high-ranking medals, consideration could be given to coordinating with the Department of Education and Training to award Certificates of Merit for outstanding performance in sports. This would be a valuable source of encouragement and would also promote the development of football among future generations.

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Be more determined in the following seasons.

Coach Tran Van Hong – Ky Son District

Ky Son District is the furthest locality to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup. Despite many difficulties, the leaders, teachers, and students of Ky Son District made an effort to bring their children to Vinh City to compete. This year, due to a slight issue regarding age, the Ky Son players were at a disadvantage in terms of physique and stamina in the youth matches and were eliminated early in the group stage. However, this was also within the team's expectations, as their opponents in the same group were considered very strong.

One noteworthy aspect of this year's season is that out of the 12 players in the Ky Son team, half are from ethnic minority groups in remote communes. However, driven by their love of football and the importance of the tournament, the district authorities facilitated their participation and provided opportunities for them to travel to Vinh to compete and gain experience. The hope of the coaches and players in Ky Son district is that in the future, an artificial turf pitch will be built in the district to facilitate training and practice, laying the foundation for improving the district's performance in future seasons."