Referee disallows Song Lam Nghe An's valid goal against Nam Dinh Blue Steel

After the defeat in round 1 of V.League 2025/26,Lam River Nghe Anentered the match with determination when welcoming the defending champion Nam Dinh at Vinh Stadium. However, in the 9th minute, the Nghe An team suddenly fell behind when Lam Thi Phong quickly scored to open the score for the away team.

Undaunted, coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team quickly tightened their formation, deployed a strong pressing style of play, and took advantage of attacks on both wings. In the 41st minute, from a delicate pass from Ho Khac Ngoc, Van Luong rushed down and fired an impromptu, technical shot over goalkeeper Nguyen Manh, equalizing 1-1 for Song Lam Nghe An.

Right at the beginning of the second half, Vinh Stadium exploded when Michael Olaha scored against Nam Dinh in the 47th minute. Before that, the Nigerian striker neatly controlled Khac Ngoc's pass in the penalty area, then fired a close-range shot into the net. The entire SLNA team ran out to celebrate, but the joy was quickly extinguished when referee Tran Ngoc Anh did not recognize the goal. He said that the ball had touched Olaha's hand before he shot. After the referee denied the goal, Olaha and his teammates protested strongly, but the referee still maintained his decision.

Most of the audience in the stands reacted strongly, saying that the player from Song Lam Nghe An did not commit any foul. Slow motion footage on television also showed that the ball only touched the striker’s chest, not his hand. If VAR technology had been applied, the situation would have certainly had a different result.

Missing the opportunity to take the lead, Song Lam Nghe An continued to maintain the initiative and create a lot of pressure. That effort was finally rewarded in the 81st minute when Dale Moore shined with a decisive shot, sealing a 2-1 victory for the home team.

3 valuable points helped Song Lam Nghe An stand up strongly after the opening loss, at the same time, affirming their mettle against the defending champion.

However, the echoes of the match will certainly still be discussed for many days to come, when Olaha's valid goal was denied, heating up Vietnamese football public opinion.