Hanoi beat Becamex Ho Chi Minh City 3-2, Kewell criticizes the pitch.

Hanoi FC won 3-2 against Becamex Ho Chi Minh City in their V.League 2025/26 Round 8 match at Binh Duong Stadium, but the biggest issue was the waterlogged pitch after heavy rain. The match was temporarily suspended for 30 minutes, and coach Harry Kewell admitted it was "impossible to pass the ball on this surface," forcing the capital city team to adopt a more direct approach. A penalty goal in the second half, along with some crucial moments, helped Hanoi complete a challenging comeback.

Match summary: heavy rain, 30-minute delay, and a thrilling 3-2 comeback.

Heavy rain turned the Bình Dương stadium pitch into large puddles, causing the ball to frequently stop mid-match. After a 30-minute delay due to the heavy rain, the match resumed under unpredictable conditions. Becamex TP.HCM opened the scoring with a beautiful flicked shot by Việt Cường, but Hà Nội FC equalized just before halftime in the 45+3rd minute.

In the second half, the visiting team maintained a better attacking tempo despite the heavy pitch. They created many opportunities and took the lead thanks to a penalty. The remaining minutes saw a back-and-forth game, but Hanoi FC held onto their advantage and ended the match with a 3-2 victory.

Tactical analysis: Kewell opted for direct passing over ball control.

Speaking at halftime, manager Harry Kewell made it clear to his players: “Just think about how this game is going to play out? We just have to fight. You can’t pass the ball on this pitch. Therefore, you have to drop the ball behind them. I’ve never encountered anything like this before, so I don’t have a satisfactory answer.”

The instructions reflected an immediate adjustment in approach: minimizing short passes in the midfield to avoid the risk of the ball stopping due to water; instead, prioritizing early passes behind the opponent's defense, looking for opportunities from second-pass situations and second-ball challenges. In adverse weather conditions, simplifying the game helped Hanoi FC minimize errors and quickly move the ball to areas where they could create breakthroughs.

From a psychological perspective, the message "the only option is to fight" emphasizes intensity, speed of approach to the ball, and reaction after losing possession. This approach is suitable when the pitch surface negates the advantage of ball control, forcing both teams to adapt with more direct solutions. Hanoi FC effectively exploited transitional moments and capitalized on opportunities from the penalty spot to turn the tide.

The crucial moment: the penalty and risk management.

The penalty goal in the second half was a turning point, giving Hanoi FC the advantage in a match where every play could change the outcome. With space control becoming unpredictable due to the pitch conditions, improving the success rate of set pieces and counter-attacks became key—something Hanoi FC did better in the second half.

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Kewell emphasized the pitch conditions as a major challenge: "It's impossible to pass the ball on this surface." Despite the harsh conditions, the 3-2 victory was significant for Hanoi FC, especially since the Australian coach had only been in charge for just over three weeks and was still dealing with lingering issues.

For both teams, the match exposed areas for improvement: pitch quality, squad strength, and the ability to control the game under challenging conditions. For Hanoi FC, three points open up opportunities to pull ahead if they maintain their momentum. They will play away against Ha Tinh in round 9, before hosting PVF-CAND at home in round 10. If they secure all six points, Hanoi could put significant pressure on the leading group.

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