Tien Linh scored in the 85th minute, helping Ho Chi Minh City Police snatch a point from Viettel.

The derby match in round 25 of the national championship between Ho Chi Minh City Police and Viettel ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw. On a day when the attack was largely ineffective, a timely moment of brilliance from Tien Linh in the final minutes helped the home team secure a valuable point before the season ends.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, and Nham Manh Dung displayed his instincts.

The match started at a high pace as both teams were eager to assert their dominance in the final rounds. In the 7th minute, Viettel's net was shaken by a powerful header from Paulo following a corner kick. However, the referee disallowed the goal, ruling that the Ho Chi Minh City Police striker was offside.

This narrow escape served as a wake-up call for coach Velizar Popov's defensive system. Viettel began to tighten their formation, proactively controlling the midfield and organizing sharp counter-attacks. In the 35th minute, the efforts of the military team were rewarded with the opening goal.

Nham Manh Dung once again demonstrated his knack for scoring with an intelligent positioning and decisive finish, giving the opposing goalkeeper no chance to save. The goal helped Viettel completely dominate the game psychologically for the remainder of the first half.

The turning point and crucial moment for Tien Linh.

In the second half, Viettel maintained a pragmatic style of play with short, controlled passes to slow down the pace of the game. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City Police appeared quite ineffective as their attacking stars failed to find common ground, leading to many misplaced passes in the final third of the pitch.

As the match drew to a close, Ho Chi Minh City Police had no choice but to push their entire team forward and use long balls directed towards the striker. The relentless pressure eventually caused Viettel's defense to reveal weaknesses.

In the 85th minute, following a central midfield combination that tore through the opponent's defense, Tien Linh appeared at the right moment to unleash an accurate shot, leveling the score at 1-1. This was an extremely important goal, relieving the pressure on the striker after a period of lackluster performance in the match.

The league table situation before the final round of matches.

This draw brought mixed emotions. For Viettel, it was the second consecutive time they were held to a 1-1 draw, missing a significant opportunity to improve their ranking. Conversely, Ho Chi Minh City Police can be somewhat satisfied with their fighting spirit and refusal to give up, securing a point at home.

This result makes the final round of the V-League more exciting than ever, as teams are still striving to secure the best possible position in the overall standings.

Thanh Vinh