Vietnam national team midfielder receives his first red card in his career

Midfielder Đỗ Hùng Dũng received a red card for the first time in his career, even though he scored and played a key role in Hanoi FC's 3-1 win against SLNA.

Đỗ Hùng Dũng experienced the most significant moment of his career when he was given a red card for the first time since turning professional, despite his major contribution to Hanoi FC's 3-1 victory over SLNA in round 12 of the 2025/2026 V-League season. This red card not only caused him to miss the upcoming match against Hải Phòng but also brought regret to the capital club.

At Vinh Stadium, Hanoi FC started the game proactively and quickly demonstrated their class. In the 8th minute, Nguyễn Hai Long opened the scoring with a decisive shot inside the penalty area. By the 25th minute, Hùng Dũng made a strong impact by sprinting to receive a through ball from a teammate and then skillfully finishing to make it 2-0. The first half ended with a clear advantage for the visitors.

The turning point came in the 41st minute. During a duel on the left flank, Hùng Dũng jumped to challenge but accidentally struck SLNA player Lê Nguyên Hoàng’s thigh with the sole of his boot. The referee initially showed a yellow card, but after consulting VAR, the decision was upgraded to a direct red card. All protests from Hanoi FC’s captain could not overturn the final ruling.

This is the first red card in Hùng Dũng’s career after more than 270 matches for his club and 66 appearances at various national team levels. Previously, the 1993-born midfielder was known as a diligent, fair player who was rarely disciplined harshly. Before the match against SLNA, he had only received 8 yellow cards throughout his career.

Despite playing with one less player for most of the second half, Hanoi FC still showed great resilience. Foreign player Daniel Passira scored to extend the lead to 3-0 in the 62nd minute after a sharp counterattack. SLNA managed only a consolation goal in the 89th minute, accepting a 1-3 home defeat. This win helped Hanoi FC move up to the upper group in the standings with 18 points after 12 rounds.

However, the joy for the purple-shirted team was not complete as Hùng Dũng was suspended for two matches, definitely missing the upcoming game against Hải Phòng in round 13. This first red card in his career ended a very emotional match for the veteran midfielder and posed a significant personnel challenge for Hanoi FC in the upcoming period.