Xuan Son shines as Nam Dinh officially reaches the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals

(Football results) - Nam Dinh beat Lion City Sailors 3-0, highlighted by Xuan Son's brace, which guaranteed their place in the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals with authority.

Nam Dinh concluded the group stage of the ASEAN Club Championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over Lion City Sailors, officially advancing to the semifinals. Playing at home, Nam Dinh controlled the game well, capitalizing on chances and showing composure at crucial moments.

The early minutes unfolded at a moderate pace as both teams approached cautiously. Lion City focused on solid defense in their half, while Nam Dinh patiently built their attacks. After about 20 minutes, the home side increased pressure, consistently targeting the flanks to find the opening goal. In the 25th minute, Tuan Anh fell inside Lion City's penalty area, but after VAR review, the referee denied a penalty to Nam Dinh.

The relentless pressure finally paid off in the 35th minute. From a left-wing attack, Caio Cesar received the ball, skillfully controlled it, and unleashed a perfect curling shot that beat the Lion City goalkeeper, putting Nam Dinh ahead 1-0 before halftime.

In the second half, Lion City pushed forward to find an equalizer but faced a tight Nam Dinh defense. In the 60th minute, a defensive mistake by the visitors was punished. Tuan Anh successfully stole the ball and passed to Xuan Son, who calmly finished with a gentle shot into the far corner to make it 2-0.

Lion City managed to get the ball into Nam Dinh's net in the 74th minute, but the goal was disallowed due to a pushing foul earlier. Meanwhile, Xuan Son kept troubling the opposing defense and in the 90+3rd minute, he completed his brace with a smart run, receiving a pass from Lam Ti Phong before confidently finishing to seal the 3-0 win.

With this result, Nam Dinh officially secures their place in the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals, continuing their impressive run in the regional competition.

Full time: Nam Dinh 3-0 Lion City

90+3 Xuan Son completes his brace

Xuan Son made a clever run to receive Ti Phong’s pass before delivering a decisive finish, extending Nam Dinh’s lead to 3-0.

81' Xuan Son misses a chance

From a cross delivered by Lam Ti Phong from the left flank, Xuan Son jumped high to head but unfortunately directed the ball straight to the Lion City goalkeeper.

74' Disallowed goal

Lion City Sailors sent a long ball into Nam Dinh’s penalty area, Thy leapt to head and set up Anderson Lopes, who scored past goalkeeper Nguyen Manh. However, the goal was ruled out due to Thy pushing a Nam Dinh defender before contacting the ball.

68' Chance for Xuan Son

Xuan Son attempted a curling shot from outside Lion City’s penalty area, but the effort was off target.

60' Xuan Son scores

A defensive error from Lion City Sailors allowed Tuan Anh to intercept and pass to Xuan Son. The number 14 calmly controlled the ball and gently placed it into the far corner, doubling Nam Dinh’s lead to 2-0.

55' Lion City pushes forward

Early in the second half, Lion City players advanced aggressively seeking an equalizer, but Nam Dinh defended proactively from a distance, preventing any significant chances for the Singaporean side.

46' Second half begins

Halftime: Nam Dinh 1-0 Lion City

35' GOAL!

Nam Dinh launched an attack down the left side, delivering the ball to Caio Cesar. The midfielder skillfully handled it before curling a precise shot to break the deadlock for the home team.

31' Danger

From a left-wing attack, Tuan Anh received the ball inside the penalty area and turned to shoot but was blocked by a defender from the Singaporean team.

25' Referee checks VAR

Tuan Anh was fouled inside Lion City’s penalty box, but after VAR review, no penalty was awarded to Nam Dinh.

20' Nam Dinh increases pressure

After a slow start, Nam Dinh began to raise the tempo, pushing forward in search of the opening goal.

10' Balanced play

The pace of the game was moderate in the opening minutes, with no notable incidents occurring.

1' Kickoff

Starting lineup of Lion City

Starting lineup of Nam Dinh

What time is Nam Dinh vs Lion City, and where to watch live?

• Match time: 7:30 PM, January 29, 2026
• Venue:Thien Truong Stadium
• Tournament: Group B - ASEAN Club Championship
• Broadcast channel: FPT Play

Expected lineups for Nam Dinh vs Lion City

• Nam Dinh:Nguyen Manh, Pham Ba, Nguyen Van Vi, Lucao, Walber, Romulo, Tau, Tuan Anh, Caio, Hong Duy, Xuan Son.
• Lion City:Susak, Azman, Wright, Datkovic, Costa, Nakamura, Ndenge, Syahin, Thy, Anuar, Ramselaar.

Preview of Nam Dinh vs Lion City

After more than a month away from official competition, Nam Dinh returns to the ASEAN Club Championship by hosting Lion City at Thien Truong Stadium. Their last match was in Thailand, where they impressed with a 4-1 win over Bangkok United. The long break required coach Bruno Jeronimo’s squad to maintain match fitness through quality friendlies against CATP.HCM, Ninh Binh, and CAHN to keep their rhythm before returning.

This "recharging" period benefited Nam Dinh greatly, as key players like Tuan Anh, Hong Duy, and goalkeeper Nguyen Manh recovered from injuries and are ready to play. With nearly full strength and playing at the passionate Thien Truong ground, the team aims for a full 3 points. After three group matches, Nam Dinh has won all, collecting 9 points and holds control over their qualification fate.

On the other hand, Lion City arrives in Vietnam as the underdog. The Singaporean team has only 4 points from 3 games, currently 4th in Group B and trailing significantly behind the leaders. Under these circumstances, a draw at Thien Truong would already be considered a success for coach Aleksandar Rankovic’s side.

Nevertheless, Lion City should not be underestimated. The team from the Lion City is on a five-match winning streak across all competitions, boosting their confidence. Their continuous play without breaks, unlike Nam Dinh, helps maintain consistent form and match sharpness.

The contrast between Nam Dinh’s home advantage and strong squad, and Lion City’s high form and steady match rhythm promises an exciting contest. This match is not only about points but also a true test of Nam Dinh’s resilience and ambition after a long break.

Form & Head-to-head

• Nam Dinh form:In the last 5 matches, Nam Dinh won 4 and lost 1. They scored 18 goals and conceded 3.
• Lion City form:In the last 5 matches, Lion City won all 5. They scored 14 goals and conceded 3.
• Head-to-head record:The two teams have never met before.