Ninh Binh won 4-3 over Ho Chi Minh City Police, unbeaten in 35 matches
Trailing 1-3 at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ninh Binh came back to win 4-3 thanks to an own goal in the 89th minute, consolidating their top position in V-League 2025/26 with 27 points after 11 rounds.
In the 89th minute at Thong Nhat Stadium, a cross from Geovane made Le Quang Hung flustered and scored an own goal. That goal not only sealed the 4-3 win for Ninh Binh against Ho Chi Minh City Police, but also extended the unbeaten streak to 35 matches, consolidating the top spot in V-League 2025/26 with 27 points after 11 rounds and marking the 5th away win.
Upstream scenario at Thong Nhat
The chase started early. In the 5th minute, Le Hai Duc opened the score for Ninh Binh with a close-range shot. The home team responded immediately when Vo Huu Viet Hoang's seemingly harmless cross went straight into the net, bringing the match back to the starting line.
The first half saw a turning point in favor of Ho Chi Minh City Police: Lee Williams and Duc Phu scored, raising the score to 3-1. Ninh Binh was at risk of receiving their first defeat after many months of success.
But just before half-time, Hoang Duc headed home a goal to reduce the deficit to 2-3 – a goal that opened a determined second half. After the break, the leaders continued to apply pressure and were rewarded when Gustavo Henrique quickly tapped in to make it 3-3, only for Geovane’s cross in the 89th minute to send the opposition into an own goal, ending a thrilling comeback.
Professional highlights: high balls and courage
The progression of the goals showed how Ninh Binh turned the game with direct actions in the 16m50 area: a well-timed header from Hoang Duc in the middle of the siege, a close-range tap-in from Gustavo Henrique and a powerful cross from Geovane that put pressure on the opposition and led to an own goal. When they were 1-3 down, they did not rush to push forward in a disorganized manner but patiently directed the ball into areas with high player density, taking advantage of the time and position to finish.
Another detail: the 1-1 equalizer for Ho Chi Minh City Police came from a seemingly harmless overhead kick – a reminder of the risks of high-ball situations. But in the second half of the match, Ninh Binh was the team that controlled similar moments in the opponent’s penalty area better, turning pressure into goals.
Numbers speak for themselves.
- 35 consecutive unbeaten matches.
- 27 points after 11 rounds of V-League 2025/26.
- 5 away wins.
These statistics reinforce their position as champions. Ninh Binh not only won by the moment, but also by their ability to maintain intensity and efficiency in decisive situations.
Coach Gerard Albadajejo's reaction
Coach Gerard Albadajejo kept his composure: “We took advantage of our chances and deserved to win. But it’s too early to talk about the championship. The tournament is still long, and things can change after the break.”
He also mentioned the refereeing: “The same referee officiated two of our matches in a row – that confused me, but it did not discourage Ninh Binh. This team always fought to the end, even when they were down 3-1, they did not give up.”
Impact and Forward
Three points at Thong Nhat helped Ninh Binh consolidate their top position, extending what is considered the longest unbeaten streak in the tournament. The victory came from their mettle, their ability to turn the game around and their coolness in the penalty area. In the immediate future, Albadajejo and his team are looking forward to the National Cup and the match with Hai Phong – new challenges, and also an opportunity to test their stability.
If they maintain the fighting intensity and efficiency as shown, the question "Are you ready to touch the throne?" will gradually have a clearer answer on the field.