Viettel beat CAHN 4-3 on penalties; Coach Polking speaks about the red card.
The Hanoi Derby ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Viettel winning 4-3 on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals. Coach Alexandre Polking considered Dinh Trong's 84th-minute red card and the 8-minute VAR intervention as the turning point of the match.
Viettel FC defeated CAHN 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes in the National Cup, securing their place in the quarter-finals. After the match, coach Alexandre Polking emphasized two factors that changed the outcome: the direct red card shown to central defender Tran Dinh Trong in the 84th minute and the 8-minute pause for VAR review of an offside situation.
The crucial moment: a red card in the 84th minute and the tempo was disrupted.
In a game where CAHN played better after the break, the red card for Tran Dinh Trong in the 84th minute left the home team with only 10 players at a crucial moment. According to coach Polking, this was the turning point that prevented CAHN from maintaining pressure and allowed their opponents to equalize before the match went to a penalty shootout.
In addition, the eight-minute pause for VAR to check for offside, according to the coach, disrupted the team's rhythm and negatively impacted their morale.
The course of events: from deadlock to hope, then a final collapse.
Coach Alexandre Polking admitted that CAHN had a below-par first half, with many mistakes in passing and unnecessary turnovers. After the break, he adjusted his tactics, helping the team improve their control and create more opportunities and goals to bring the game back to a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes.
However, CAHN's momentum was disrupted in the final minutes when they had to play with ten men. The match was decided on penalties, where Viettel won 4-3.
Tactical angle and tempo: adjustments after halftime, pressure reduced due to player shortage.
Changes made after the break helped CAHN improve the quality of their passing and build-up play. However, receiving a red card in the 84th minute forced the home team to lose cohesion and the initiative to press. According to coach Polking, the prolonged VAR delay also disrupted the tempo, reducing the continuity in their attacking plays and psychological control.
Selective statistics
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| 90-minute results | CAHN 2-2 The Cong Viettel |
| Cycle | Viettel won 4-3 |
| Red card | Tran Dinh Trong, 84th minute (live) |
| VAR | 8 minutes of offside checks (according to coach Polking) |
| The ticket | The Cong Viettel advances to the quarterfinals of the National Cup. |
Notable statement by coach Alexandre Polking
“In the first half, we played quite ineffectively, making many mistakes in passing and losing possession unnecessarily. After the break, I adjusted the tactics, and the team played better, creating more opportunities and scoring goals. Unfortunately, everything fell apart in the final minutes.”
"When playing with 10 men, we couldn't maintain the pressure and allowed the opponent to equalize. That red card situation completely changed the course of the game."
“I don’t want to say too much, but today there were some really baffling decisions. VAR took 8 minutes to review an offside situation, or some collisions involving The Cong players that should have resulted in fouls. That greatly affected the rhythm and morale of the whole team.”
“We had prepared for a penalty shootout, but luck wasn't on CAHN's side today. I believe the team will come back stronger. The whole team needs to learn from this, improve their performance, and approach the next matches with the highest level of focus.”
Impact
The result propelled The Cong Viettel into the quarterfinals of the National Cup. CAHN was eliminated on penalties, but according to coach Alexandre Polking, the team will return stronger and aims to demonstrate their champion status in future competitions.
