Despite being considered the underdogs, Bac Ninh FC entered the match with confidence. In the 7th minute, Mai Xuan Quyet handled the ball well and found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Van Viet, but his shot lacked sufficient power to trouble the keeper.
The Cong-Viettel broke the deadlock in the 14th minute. Huu Thang delivered a precise chipped pass that split the entire Bac Ninh defense, allowing Lucao to finish calmly in a one-on-one situation.
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Lucao scores the decisive goal to secure a 1–0 win for The Cong-Viettel FC over Bac Ninh FC. (Photo: The Cong-Viettel FC) |
Following the early goal, The Cong-Viettel dominated possession. In the 35th minute, Lucao dribbled past goalkeeper Huynh Tuan Linh, but his subsequent shot was cleared by a defender. Huu Thang then headed the rebound into the net; however, after VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to offside.
Bac Ninh FC’s situation worsened at the end of the first half. In stoppage time (45+8’), VAR confirmed a dangerous foul by Le Van Ha, prompting the referee to issue a straight red card, reducing Bac Ninh to 10 men.
In the 53rd minute, Lucao went down in the penalty area after contact, but the referee ruled no foul, denying The Cong-Viettel a penalty.
In the closing stages, The Cong-Viettel created several clear chances, but both Van Khang and Lucao failed to convert. Meanwhile, despite being a man down, Bac Ninh FC nearly equalized from a free kick in the 72nd minute but could not capitalize.
With a 1–0 victory, The Cong-Viettel advanced to the semi-finals of the National Cup for the fourth consecutive season. This also marked their fifth straight win across all competitions this season.
In the semi-finals, The Cong-Viettel FC will face Ninh Binh FC, who previously defeated PVF-CAND FC 3–2. The other semi-final will see Thep Xanh Nam Dinh take on Cong an TP Ho Chi Minh FC.
Translated by Chung Anh