After a resounding 4-0 victory over Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the opening round, Nam Dinh entered the away match at Chi Lang stadium with many expectations. However, coach Vu Hong Viet's team quickly fell into a difficult position.
In the 21st minute, Van Kien received a red card after fouling Minh Quang. Initially, the referee awarded Da Nang a penalty, but after consulting VAR, the decision was changed to a direct free kick for the home team, while Van Kien still had to leave the field.
Nam Dinh played with one less player but still stood firm in the remainder of the first half. The away team even had some opportunities from Manh Quynh and his teammates' finishes, but could not create a goal.
The game became worse for Nam Dinh right at the beginning of the 2nd half. In the 53rd minute, Santos received a direct red card after VAR determined that this player had stepped on the opponent's stomach. Nam Dinh had only 9 players left on the field.
This was also a turning point that completely lost the game to the away team. Just 4 minutes after Nam Dinh lost the second player, Da Nang broke the deadlock. Hong Phuc made a cross and Saponjic jumped high to head, putting the home team ahead 1-0.
In the 64th minute, the gap was doubled. Nahuel took a free kick that changed the direction of the ball, making goalkeeper Nguyen Manh unable to stop it.
In the 74th minute, Bryan Ly escaped and then finished diagonally, sealing a 3-0 victory for Da Nang.
Nam Dinh tried hard in the final minutes but could not find a consolation goal. Thanh Nam team closed the match with 9 players on the field and 3 times picking the ball out of the net.
This defeat is even more regrettable when Nam Dinh just had an impressive start with a 4-0 victory over Hoang Anh Gia Lai. From the position of a team that won big in round 1, Nam Dinh experienced one of the most forgettable matches when they received 2 red cards and went empty-handed at Chi Lang.
Meanwhile, Da Nang has their first victory in the new season after losing to Thanh Hoa 2-3 in the previous round.
