Round 17 V-League: Xuan Son shines brightly to help Nam Dinh secure 3 points, The Cong - Viettel escapes defeat in the final minute

Round 17 of the V-League 2025/26 witnessed the home team SLNA drop victory at the end of the match against The Cong Viettel, Thanh Hoa secured a heavy win over the visiting team Cong An TPCHM, and Nam Dinh defeated the home team Ha Tinh with the imprint of Xuan Son.

The encounter between SLNA and The Cong Viettel in Round 17 of the V-League unfolded dramatically with many notable turning points, especially in the final period of the match.

From the very first minutes, the match situation became lively. In the 8th minute, a disastrous mistake in The Cong Viettel's defense gifted an opportunity to SLNA. Van Huy decisively exploited the pressing situation, stealing the ball right outside the penalty area and then unleashing a decisive shot, opening the score 1-0 for the home team. The early goal helped SLNA play with high spirits, while Viettel faced many difficulties against the intense pressing style.

In the remainder of the first half, the visiting team strived to find an equalizing goal but encountered a tight defense. The most notable chance belonged to Olaha in the 36th minute, but goalkeeper Van Viet bravely rushed out to neutralize it. SLNA entered the break with a fragile lead advantage.

In the second half, The Cong Viettel pushed their formation higher and continuously created pressure. In the 49th minute, Reon Moore fell in the penalty area but VAR determined he was offside earlier. By the 70th minute, Lucao headed the ball into SLNA's net, however, the goal was not recognized due to Colonna's pushing foul after the referee consulted VAR.

Nevertheless, the relentless pressure was finally rewarded. In the 90th minute, from Nguyen Hoang's clearance mistake in the 5.50-meter area, Colonna assisted for Pedro Henrique to finish close-range, equalizing 1-1 for Viettel.

The drama did not stop as in the 90+6th minute, Quang Tu from SLNA received a red card, leaving the home team with only 10 players. The match concluded with a 1-1 draw, accurately reflecting the tense and volatile situation on the field.

On the Ha Tinh field, the home team started with great determination and caused considerable difficulty for Nam Dinh in the early minutes. Ha Tinh's fast pressing style hindered the visiting team in ball deployment. However, Nam Dinh still demonstrated class with sharp attacking plays, especially from Xuan Son.

In the 19th minute, Xuan Son put the ball into Ha Tinh's net after Hong Duy's cross, but VAR denied the goal due to a handball foul. Nonetheless, this striker continued to be the focal point, constantly threatening the opponent's goal. In the 29th minute, his shot hit the post after Van Vi's cross, signaling a day full of fateful moments.

The turning point came in the 34th minute when Xuan Son was fouled in the penalty area. After consulting VAR, the referee awarded Nam Dinh a penalty, and Xuan Son himself did not make a mistake, opening the score in the 36th minute. Before the first half ended, Ha Tinh had a golden opportunity to equalize, but Nascimento's header sent the ball bouncing off the post.

In the second half, Nam Dinh quickly asserted their superiority. Right in the 48th minute, Xuan Son continued to make his mark with a clever through pass for Akolo to sprint, bypassing goalkeeper Liem Dieu and easily doubling the lead. This goal nearly crushed the spirit of the home team.

In the remainder of the match, Ha Tinh endeavored to find a consolation goal but encountered a solid defense and the excellence of goalkeeper Nguyen Manh. In the 51st minute, he made a miraculous save against Joseph's close-range tap-in.

On the other side, Nam Dinh created many more dangerous opportunities, regrettably Xuan Son and his teammates could not capitalize to increase the lead. Ultimately, Nam Dinh secured a convincing 2-0 victory away.

In another match, Dong A Thanh Hoa delivered an explosive performance by crushing Cong An TP.HCM with a 4-0 score. From the early minutes, the home team displayed a fiery and effective style of play. In the 7th minute, Ba Tien opened the scoring with a decisive shot in the very first attacking move.

With the lead, Thanh Hoa played with increasing excitement. In the 25th minute, Rimario capitalized on a mistake by the visiting team's defense to raise the score to 2-0 amidst the home crowd's eruption. Meanwhile, Cong An TP.HCM, despite controlling more ball possession and deploying attacks mainly from the wings, lacked sharpness in final finishing moves. Tien Linh had a notable chance with a header in the 18th minute but could not convert it into a goal.

Entering the second half, the match situation did not change much. Thanh Hoa continued to show solidity in defense and efficiency in counterattacks. In the 51st minute, Van Tung unleashed an accurate left-footed shot, raising the score to 3-0, nearly ending the visiting team's hope for points.

Despite great effort in the remaining time, Cong An TP.HCM remained stuck against the home team's tight defensive system. Statistics showed they launched up to 13 shots but only one hit the target – a number clearly reflecting the attacking line's lack of luck. Not only failing to score a consolation goal, the visiting team also conceded another goal in the 90th minute when Le Van Thang executed a precise one-touch finish, sealing the 4-0 victory for Thanh Hoa.

The two matches concluded with clear messages: Nam Dinh continues to maintain stable form and composure in the championship race, while Thanh Hoa affirms they are an unpredictable opponent for any team when reaching high form. Round 17 thus became particularly exciting, promising more dramatic developments in the next stage of the V-League.