Nam Dinh convincingly defeated Ho Chi Minh City Police 2-0: Affirming the strength of their squad depth.

Nam Dinh secured a 2-0 victory against Ho Chi Minh City Police FC at Thien Truong Stadium, affirming the depth of their squad despite the absence of key striker Nguyen Xuan Son. Goals from Brenner and Nguyen Van Vi not only earned them three valuable points but also provided the Nam Dinh team with a perfect start to their international campaign.

Tactical calculations and the home team's dominance.

The decision to keep Nguyen Xuan Son on the bench was seen as a cautious move by the Nam Dinh coaching staff to preserve their strength for the packed schedule in May. Despite the absence of their most dangerous striker, the home team quickly took control of the game right after the opening whistle thanks to the mobility of their midfield.

In the 26th minute, goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang's net was shaken by a rebound shot from A Mit, but the goal was disallowed due to offside. Despite continuously increasing the pressure with shots from Akolo, Nam Dinh ended the first half without being able to convert their advantage into a goal.

Tuan Anh's class and the turning point in the second half.

In the second half, Nam Dinh's personnel and tactical adjustments began to pay off. In the 54th minute, from the left flank, Nguyen Phong Hong Duy delivered an accurate cross into the penalty area. Midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh showcased his class with a delicate first-touch control, drawing the attention of the opposing defense before setting up Brenner for a close-range header to open the scoring.

On the opposing side, coach Le Huynh Duc immediately brought on his strategic player Nguyen Tien Linh in an attempt to find an equalizer. However, this adjustment completely backfired as the striker wearing number 22 played isolated and was almost invisible against the disciplined defense of the Nam Dinh team.

Defensive errors and the game-ending blow.

While the attack was ineffective, the Ho Chi Minh City Police defense began to reveal fatal errors. In the 82nd minute, center-back Nascimento made a costly mistake, losing the ball inside the penalty area. Not missing the opportunity, national team player Nguyen Van Vi immediately unleashed a powerful shot into the near corner, punishing the visitors and sealing a 2-0 victory.

The convincing victory officially propelled Nam Dinh to 5th place in the standings with 31 points. More importantly, this performance showed that the team from Nam Dinh has enough depth to confidently enter the semi-finals of the Southeast Asian Club Championship next week.