Despite having home advantage and being rated higher, coach Le Huynh Duc's team still could not penetrate the opponent's disciplined defense.
Right from the start of the match, Ho Chi Minh City Police proactively raised their formation, creating pressure on the away team's field. However, the attacking coordination of the Thong Nhat home team lacked breakthroughs, often stopping at ineffective suspensions. Meanwhile, Ha Tinh chose a defensive counter-attacking style of play, persistently waiting for opportunities.
In the 42nd minute, VAR took action after the ball touched the hand of defender Khong Minh Gia Bao in the penalty area. After reviewing the video, the referee decided not to award Ha Tinh a penalty.
The turning point happened in the 60th minute when Huy Toan received a second yellow card, forcing Ho Chi Minh City Police to play with one less player for more than 30 minutes. Despite playing with one more player, Ha Tinh still could not take advantage to score, while the home team occasionally created a few dangerous counter-attacks.
The 0-0 draw caused Ho Chi Minh City Police to miss the opportunity to improve their position on the rankings, while Ha Tinh continued to have 1 more valuable point in the relegation journey.
