HAGL's coach is pleased to have secured a draw against the visiting Thanh Hóa team.

On November 9th afternoon, HAGL welcomed Thanh Hóa to Pleiku Stadium for the 11th round of the LPBank V-League 2025/2026. Both sides were desperate for points, each having only 7 points and occupying the two lowest positions on the standings. Despite having an advantage in score and tactics, the Thanh Hóa team allowed their opponents to equalize in the final seconds of the match.

In the 44th minute, from a corner kick on the left by Lê Văn Thuận, Mamadou Mbodji delivered a precise header that hit the post and rolled into the net, leaving goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên powerless and giving Thanh Hóa a 1-0 lead. It seemed Thanh Hóa would claim all three points, but at the 90+10 minute mark, from a teammate’s cross during a direct free kick, Đinh Quang Kiệt finished sharply to level the score at 1-1. This was also the final score of the match.

"I think it was a good game, but unfortunately, we conceded a goal at the very end. HAGL played well, staying focused from the first minute to the last, and I highly respect that," said coach Choi Won Kwon after the match.

Meanwhile, coach Lê Quang Trãi felt lucky to have secured 1 point: "I believe our late goal was partly due to luck. We did not approach the game well today. Thanh Hóa, despite playing away, performed commendably and managed to impose their style on us. They capitalized on one of their chances to score."

In reality, Thanh Hóa started stronger, controlled possession more, and took the initiative in attack. Early in the match, players like Võ Nguyên Hoàng, Rimario, and Lê Văn Thuận repeatedly launched dangerous shots toward goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên’s goal. For the first 30 minutes, the ball mainly stayed in HAGL’s half.

In midfield, Abdurakhmanov and Nguyễn Thái Sơn played steadily, helping the visitors recover the ball and initiate attacks. However, the attackers’ lack of finishing prevented more goals. Had the visitors converted their chances, the match might have been decided within the first 45 minutes, with Quang Kiệt’s late goal only embellishing Thanh Hóa’s win. Of course, football has no "ifs," and the player who missed the most chances was probably HAGL’s former player, Rimario Gordon.

"Up to now, Rimario has scored 2 goals this season and has performed quite well in recent matches. Actually, it’s not only Thanh Hóa but all V-League teams that need foreign players to facilitate scoring. Besides Rimario, Thanh Hóa also has Lucas, but he is sidelined with a long-term injury. The next 2-3 months will be crucial for us to fix our weaknesses," coach Choi Won Kwon said.