Battle in the smoke of war
On September 2, 1970, Hang Day stadium was packed with spectators in the match between The Cong and the Cuban national team. At that time, the war was still fierce, football activities in the North were heavily affected by bombs and bullets. Tournaments had to be moved to localities far from the center to limit the risk of war.
In that situation, the appearance of the Cuban national team in Hanoi has a meaning that goes beyond a friendly match. This visit shows the solidarity and friendship between the two nations. The match took place on National Day, making the event even more special.
Former player Vu Manh Hai, then a young player of The Cong, once recalled that before the match, General Vo Nguyen Giap instructed the players about the meaning of the meeting. The Cuban team coming to Vietnam in a war situation is very precious, so the match needs to be played with a spirit of friendship but still have to play their best.
At Hang Day Stadium, The Cong won 2-1 against Cuba. The professional result is of course memorable, but the greater value of the match lies in the message of friendship and the will of Vietnamese football in difficult years.
That was also one of the matches that many generations of The Cong players later still recall as a special milestone in their careers.
First football festival after reunification
5 years later, National Day September 2, 1975, continued to mark a special event of Vietnamese football. Just a few months after the country's reunification, Thong Nhat Stadium witnessed the match between Hai Quan and Ngan Hang teams.
This is considered the first football match held in the South after April 30, 1975. More than 20,000 spectators were present at the stadium, creating an atmosphere of a sports festival. The match is therefore of special significance. On the football field, players who were on both sides of a historical period appear in a sports match. Football, in that context, is not only a competition in terms of expertise but also contributes to creating connection after years of national division.
This event also opened a new journey for Southern football. A year later, football in the two regions had a real reunion when the General Department of Railways was sent to the South to play against Saigon Port at Thong Nhat Stadium.
From historical memories to new generation matches
September 2nd continues to appear in the schedule of Vietnamese national teams at different stages. One of the notable milestones is the match between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, taking place on September 2, 2021.
This is the first time the Vietnamese national team has participated in the final qualifying round of the World Cup in Asia. The fact that the opening match took place on National Day creates a special meaning for coach Park Hang-seo and his team and fans.
Although they did not get points against Saudi Arabia, the Vietnamese team at that time entered an unprecedented playground in history. The match is therefore remembered as a milestone in the process of integration and raising the level of Vietnamese football.
Looking back at the matches taking place on September 2nd, it can be seen that football has repeatedly gone hand in hand with important moments of the country. 1970 was a story of friendship in war; 1975 was the image of a football background that began to connect again after reunification; and 2021 was the step forward of the Vietnamese national team in the World Cup arena.
Those matches may be different in terms of opponents, circumstances and professional goals, but they all leave their own mark. On National Day, the ball not only rolls on the football field but also carries stories about history, solidarity and the aspiration to rise up of Vietnamese football.
