Song Lam Nghe An suffered a defeat against Ho Chi Minh City Police Club.

Entering the away match at Go Dau Stadium, Song Lam Nghe An was predicted to face many difficulties as the home team had just changed coaches following the departure of coach Le Huynh Duc. Nevertheless, the team from Nghe An still started the game with a certain level of initiative and quickly created a surprise.

Right after the opening whistle, Ho Chi Minh City Police controlled the game better. Their attacks down the right flank constantly put pressure on the SLNA defense. However, a lack of accuracy in their final touches prevented the home team from breaking through goalkeeper Huu Hau's net.

Despite being under considerable pressure, SLNA unexpectedly took the lead in the 12th minute. From a build-up on the left wing, Vuong Van Huy delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area. Home team center-back Gia Bao awkwardly headed the ball into his own net, much to the dismay of goalkeeper Patrick Le Giang.

Having taken the lead, the Nghe An team played with more enthusiasm. Just a few minutes later, Quang Vinh unleashed a powerful long-range shot from over 30 meters, but the ball went wide. Meanwhile, the home team continued to push forward in search of an equalizer.

In the 20th minute, Ho Chi Minh City Police managed to put the ball into the net against SLNA after a combination play on the left wing. However, the goal was disallowed as William was offside. In the 30th minute, the home team had another moment of disappointment when Raphael's shot found the back of Huu Hau's net, but it was again disallowed due to offside.

Towards the end of the first half, the game was lively with both teams exchanging attacks. SLNA also had a good chance in the 38th minute when Olaha broke through at high speed. However, instead of passing to Dale Moore in a favorable position, the striker shot from a tight angle and missed the opportunity to double the lead.

SLNA's wasteful finishing quickly cost them dearly. In the final minute of added time in the first half, Hoang Van Khanh committed a foul in the penalty area after a hesitant marking of William. From the penalty spot, the home team's foreign player easily beat Huu Hau, leveling the score at 1-1 for Ho Chi Minh City Police.

Entering the second half, coach Van Sy Son made several personnel changes to reinforce the defense. However, these changes did not help SLNA improve their performance. The team from Nghe An played without cohesion, constantly made mistakes in defense, and completely lost control of the game.

In the 67th minute, Justin Garcia made a serious mistake with his handling of the ball just outside the penalty area. Tien Linh seized the opportunity and easily finished to give CA TP.HCM a 2-1 lead. This situation clearly reflected the lack of concentration and the dispirited mentality of the SLNA defense in this match.

Not stopping there, in the 88th minute, the Nghe An team conceded another goal after a careless pass in their own half. Raphael stole the ball and easily beat Huu Hau, sealing a 3-1 victory for the home team.

It's safe to say this was a very forgettable match for SLNA's defense. All three goals conceded stemmed from individual mistakes and the carelessness and irresponsibility of the defenders. Gone was the fiery and determined performance of previous rounds; the team from Nghe An displayed a weak and lifeless performance for most of the second half.

This defeat extends Song Lam Nghe An's disappointing run of results. More importantly, it shows that coach Van Sy Son's team still has too many issues to improve if they don't want to put themselves under pressure in the final stages of the season.