VAR decided the match; Ha Tinh beat HAGL 1-0 on penalties in the 88th minute.

In the 88th minute, Atshimene fell in the penalty area after a collision. Referee Nguyen Manh Hai initially allowed the game to continue, but a signal from VAR forced him to review the incident. The decision was reversed: a penalty was awarded to the home team. Atshimene confidently stepped up and took a decisive shot, deceiving goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien. The only goal came late, enough for Ha Tinh to seal a 1-0 victory over Hoang Anh Gia Lai in a night of heavy rain and calculated tactics.

The crucial moment: VAR and the penalty kick decide the outcome.

The turning point came when the match was almost over with a draw. VAR requested a review of Atshimene's fall in the penalty area. After observing the screen, referee Nguyen Manh Hai pointed to the penalty spot. From the penalty spot, Atshimene made no mistake, putting the ball into the net, leaving Tran Trung Kien helpless.

The second half had 7 minutes of added time, but HAGL couldn't create any clear-cut chances to equalize. Ha Tinh preserved their slender advantage, securing all 3 points in a match where tactical discipline overshadowed any attacking flair.

Developments: a prolonged stalemate, a decisive moment.

Immediately after the opening whistle, both teams opted for a cautious approach. Ha Tinh and HAGL maintained tight formations, minimizing risks and choosing to focus more on midfield battles rather than launching all-out attacks.

In the 18th minute, Atshimene tried his luck with a long-range shot, but it wasn't difficult enough to beat Tran Trung Kien. Just five minutes later, the team from Pleiku responded with a series of three shots in a single minute, but the home team's defense made desperate tackles to block them, preventing the ball from hitting the target. The first half ended in a stalemate.

After the break, the scenario remained largely unchanged. Both teams defended well, but lacked decisive attacking moves. The only highlight came in the 69th minute when Tran Trung Kien had to make a crucial save against a dangerous shot from the home team inside the penalty area.

When the heavy rain poured down, the pace of the game shifted to long balls and one-on-one challenges. The balance seemed to remain unchanged until VAR came on in the 88th minute, unlocking the match in an unexpected way.

Tactical perspective: prioritize safety, control space.

This was a match where both Ha Tinh and HAGL prioritized safety above all else. The team maintained tight formations, with few players involved in the final touches, minimizing space behind them. This low-risk approach resulted in few dangerous opportunities, with the ball mostly circulating in the midfield.

With the pitch wet from the rain, maintaining a short-passing game was difficult, forcing teams to shift to direct challenges and long balls. In such situations, the decisive moment could only come from errors, set pieces, or technological intervention — and VAR became the key.

Key points in numbers

• 18th minute: Atshimene takes a long-range shot, Trung Kien makes a clean save.
• Five minutes later: HAGL had three consecutive shots, all missing the target.
• 69th minute: Tran Trung Kien makes a save after a shot from inside the penalty area by the home team.
• 88th minute: VAR intervenes, the referee points to the penalty spot; Atshimene scores from the penalty.
• With 7 minutes of added time in the second half, Ha Tinh maintained their advantage.

Impact: Three valuable points from a tactical match.

On a day when both sides lacked attacking flair, Ha Tinh capitalized on a late turning point to seal the deal. HAGL left empty-handed despite being very close to securing a point. Judging from how the match was controlled, the VAR decision became the thin line between the result and the effort that lasted throughout the 90 minutes.

Final score: Hong Linh Ha Tinh 1-0 Hoang Anh Gia Lai. Goal: Charles Atshimene 88' (pen).