Coach Thanh Hóa expresses frustration with refereeing after loss to Hà Tĩnh

Coach Mai Xuân Hợp stated that the refereeing and VAR in the match against Hà Tĩnh disadvantaged Thanh Hóa.

Coach Mai Xuân Hợp shows dissatisfaction after Thanh Hóa lost to Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh 0-1 in round 15 of V.League 2025/26. The Thanh-based team's coach claimed that several referee decisions in the match were unfair and disrupted the game flow, significantly affecting the final result.

A controversial situation occurred in the 19th minute when Rimario fell in the penalty area after contact from Tấn Tài. Initially, referee Hoàng Thanh Bình allowed play to continue. He then consulted VAR, but after nearly 10 minutes reviewing footage, the referee team determined Rimario was in an offside position before the contact, thus denying Thanh Hóa a penalty.

This decision provoked strong reactions from Thanh Hóa's coaching staff and players. Coach Mai Xuân Hợp argued the reviewed situation was clear, but the referee team's conclusion was puzzling. He angrily shared: “I don't understand why, not just this match, but many previous matches, decisions seem consistently unfavorable to Thanh Hóa. In the penalty situation, when checking VAR, they reviewed it clearly. Helerson was the last man, so how could there be offside?”

Not limited to this incident, Thanh Hóa's strategist also claimed the referee's management fragmented the match. According to him, many minor fouls by Thanh Hóa players were penalized, while similar situations from Hà Tĩnh were not addressed. “Many instances where Thanh Hóa players made slight contact were penalized. Meanwhile, Hà Tĩnh players fouling us received no referee response. This fragmented the match and disrupted the rhythm,” Hợp said.

The peak of disappointment came when Hà Tĩnh scored the decisive goal in the 90+3rd minute. From a cross on the flank, the ball was delivered into the box for Helerson to head sharply, beating goalkeeper Êli Niê, securing a 1-0 victory for the away team. After the match, Coach Mai Xuân Hợp continued criticizing the refereeing: “After watching VAR, I still cannot accept the referee's explanation. Honestly, I don't understand what they were doing on the field. With officiating like this, it's difficult for Vietnamese football to progress.”

The defeat leaves Thanh Hóa still in 12th place with 13 points and under heavy pressure from teams below. Nevertheless, Coach Mai Xuân Hợp acknowledged his players' fighting spirit despite the team's shortage due to not yet having FIFA's clearance to register new players.