Both Vietnamese teams have a strong chance to advance in the Asian competition

Following the first two group matches of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26, CAHN and Thep Xanh Nam Dinh have both made remarkable starts, opening the door wide for qualification to the knockout rounds.

In the second round of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26, CAHN dominated with a 3-0 victory over Tai Po (Hong Kong). Rogerio Alves scored twice in the first half, and Phan Van Duc sealed the win with a late goal, earning the capital club full 3 points.

CAHN completely controlled the game, boasting an expected goals (xG) value of 2.69, 64% possession, and 20 shots with 6 on target. This win propelled the team to the top of Group E with 4 points and reinforced their ambition to progress deep into the tournament.

Meanwhile, Nam Dinh maintained their impressive away form by defeating Eastern (Hong Kong) 1-0, thanks to Kristoffer Hansen's lone goal. Despite only 44% possession and creating an equal number of chances as the hosts, Nam Dinh capitalized on a decisive moment to secure a crucial win. With 6 points from two matches, the team ranks second in Group F, tied on points with Gamba Osaka (behind on goal difference), holding a strong advantage for qualification.

Nam Dinh made a historic mark by fielding a starting lineup of 11 foreign players in their win over Eastern (including one overseas Vietnamese player without citizenship). This is the first time in the tournament’s history that a Southeast Asian club has started a match entirely with foreign players.

With these results, both CAHN and Nam Dinh have strong prospects to advance past the group stage. CAHN must maintain their form to defend the top spot in Group E, while Nam Dinh will face a direct showdown with Gamba Osaka in the next two matches to compete for first place in Group F.

The impressive performances of both teams highlight the clear progress of Vietnamese football on the international stage, from CAHN’s dominant strength to Nam Dinh’s resilience on the road. If they keep up this level, both sides have a bright path forward to the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26.