Song Lam Nghe An suffered a narrow defeat on the Ninh Binh pitch.
In the final minutes of the match, Song Lam Nghe An failed to keep a clean sheet and had to accept a narrow 0-1 defeat against league leaders Ninh Binh in the 10th round of the V.League 2025/26.
Returning to their home ground, Ninh Binh will host Song Lam Nghe An.
After 9 rounds, the team from the ancient capital remains undefeated and displays impressive form, especially with a diverse attack featuring Hoang Duc, Daniel, and Rodrigues. With the home advantage, Ninh Binh started proactively, completely controlling the game and creating many dangerous opportunities.
In the 9th minute, Dung Quang Nho skillfully dribbled down the right wing before unleashing a curling shot with his left foot, the ball narrowly missing the SLNA goal. Two minutes later, the home team continued to press when Duc Chien's shot struck Dale Moore's hand inside the penalty area. However, after consulting VAR, the referee determined that the SLNA player had his arm close to his body, and no penalty was awarded.
Ninh Binh maintained constant pressure throughout the first half. In the 39th minute, from a corner kick taken by Hoang Duc, defender Hai Duc rose high to head the ball, but goalkeeper Cao Van Binh made an excellent save right on the goal line. In the 45th minute, Hoang Duc broke down the left wing, facing a chance to open the scoring, but center-back Justin Garcia made a timely save, keeping a clean sheet for the visitors.
Despite facing immense pressure, SLNA showed a resilient spirit. In injury time of the first half, Olaha unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but the ball narrowly missed the crossbar.
In the second half, Ninh Binh continued to maintain their dominant position. The league leaders held possession for much of the game, launching attacks mainly through the flanks. In the 54th minute, Hoang Duc dribbled past three SLNA players in quick succession, but his decisive pass was intercepted by the yellow-shirted defense.
In the 64th minute, the home team created another dangerous opportunity when Geovane rose high to head the ball after a cross from the right wing, but the shot was weak and not difficult enough to beat goalkeeper Cao Van Binh.
In the 70th minute, SLNA suffered a major setback when center-back Justin Garcia sustained an injury, forcing coach Van Sy Son to bring on Hoang Van Khanh as a replacement. This change somewhat affected the solidity of the visiting team's defense.
The turning point came in the 86th minute. From an attack down the left wing, young player Le Phat confidently broke through and delivered an accurate cross into the penalty area. Gia Hung positioned himself well and unleashed a powerful one-touch shot, giving goalkeeper Cao Van Binh no chance to react, opening the scoring 1-0 for Ninh Binh.
In the remaining minutes, Song Lam Nghe An poured all their efforts into attacking to find an equalizer, but they couldn't make a difference against the home team's tight defense. The match ended with a narrow victory for Ninh Binh.
Despite leaving Hoa Lu empty-handed, Song Lam Nghe An still received much praise for their fighting spirit and disciplined play. Coach Van Sy Son's team bravely held their ground for over 80 minutes against the team currently in the best form in the league.
Meanwhile, with a 1-0 victory, Ninh Binh continued to maintain their top position in the table and extended their unbeaten streak in the V.League 2025/26.
