Nam Dinh 2-0 Long An: Opposing coach 'figures out' Xuan Son's tactics.
Nam Dinh Green Steel defeated Long An 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 National Cup on the evening of November 23rd. Coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh said he had carefully studied and "figured out" Xuan Son's tactics, praised Nguyen Trong Dai, and gave the team 10 days of rest before preparing for 8 weeks.
Nam Dinh Green Steel defeated Dong Tam Long An 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 National Cup on the evening of November 23rd to advance to the quarterfinals. After the match, Long An's coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh said he had "figured out" Xuan Son – the striker who had just returned from the Vietnamese national team – thanks to thorough research of the opponent and a good understanding of the forward.
"There's really nothing to regret. That's football; the team that's better prepared and has a higher skill level will win. That's perfectly normal," said coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh.
Key takeaway: Xuan Son played the full 90 minutes but didn't score.
Although they couldn't pull off an upset, Long An made it a difficult match for Nam Dinh. Xuan Son played the full 90 minutes, constantly creating dangerous opportunities for the home team, but he lacked the luck to score.
The 2-0 victory propelled Nam Dinh Green Steel into the quarterfinals of the National Cup. For Long An, their performance against a higher-ranked opponent provides a foundation for progressing to the next stage.
Tactical perspective: "Decoding" Xuan Son from video footage and past experiences.
Long An's key strategy was to neutralize Nam Dinh's number one attacking threat. "Before the match, we studied videos of Nam Dinh's matches and how Xuan Son plays. I'm even friends with Xuan Son; I worked with him five years ago in Nam Dinh. I knew his characteristics and explained them to the players in preparation for the match," shared coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh.
Based on video footage and an understanding of the opposing striker's "characteristics," Long An proactively limited the space and time available for Xuan Son to operate. Although they couldn't keep a clean sheet against Nam Dinh's overall strength, this approach helped them minimize the finishing opportunities from the team's main striker.
Post-match reaction: Team discipline and the return of Nguyen Trong Dai
Besides "outsmarting" Xuan Son, coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh praised midfielder Nguyen Trong Dai: "Trong Dai has improved a lot. When the coaching staff signed Trong Dai, they showed understanding and love, giving him a chance to return to football."
Internal discipline and belief were emphasized as the anchors Long An will cling to in the coming period, after a match where they made things difficult for the favored team but lacked the sharpness to create a breakthrough.
Impact and plan
Nam Dinh Green Steel secured their place in the quarterfinals, while Long An is looking ahead to the next stage with a clear plan. “We’ve already made our plans. After this match, we’ll give the players 10 days off, then they’ll regroup, and we’ll have an 8-week preparation plan for the next phase,” said coach Nguyen Ngoc Linh.
Overall, Long An's strengths lie in their pragmatism, thorough preparation, and ability to adapt to their opponents. On the other hand, Nam Dinh's 2-0 victory and quarter-final ticket affirm their depth and stable performance in cup competitions.