Unique amateur football incident: Both teams compete to score into their own nets, fans furious

A rare and controversial situation occurred in round 3 of the Yên Lũng Open Cup 2026, when the match between Yên Lũng and Thanh Nga ended with a 3-2 score but left an ugly scene rarely seen in grassroots football.

Amateur football players race to score into their own nets, causing fans to be furious

According to reports, the match took place in An Khánh commune (Hanoi) and was the final round of the group stage. Previously, both teams had won their first two rounds, thus securing their spots in the quarter-finals early. However, instead of competing for the top position in the group, both the host Yên Lũng - the reigning champion - and Thanh Nga fell into a situation of "avoiding victory".

The reason is believed to be avoiding a strong opponent in the other group, both teams chose to play negatively aiming to finish the group stage in second place. This led to an unbelievable scenario: players from both sides continuously actively sent the ball into their own nets. These "intentional own goals" happened right in front of spectators, making the match distorted and losing its inherent competitiveness.

Although the final score was 3-2 favoring Yên Lũng, this result no longer held much professional significance. Instead, what remained was a distasteful image, contrary to sportsmanship and fair-play.

Grassroots football is traditionally seen as a community bonding playground, emphasizing honesty and the joy of competition. However, the behavior of both teams in this match clearly deserves condemnation. This is not just the story of one match, but also a warning bell about competitive awareness and core values in current grassroots tournaments.

Fans are very displeased with these negative images from this grassroots tournament