Returning to V.League, the U23 Vietnam hero helps his team break away to avoid relegation

On the evening of February 8th, SLNA caused an upset by beating The Cong Viettel 4-1 at Hang Day Stadium, securing an important edge in the fight to stay in the league. The biggest highlight was goalkeeper Cao Van Binh’s brilliant performance in goal.

The surprise came early in the 3rd minute when SLNA took the lead from a corner kick, with Justin Garcia finishing close-range. After conceding, Viettel immediately pressed hard. In the 8th minute, Paulinho scored with a header, but VAR intervened and disallowed the goal due to Kyle Colonna pulling goalkeeper Cao Van Binh’s shirt.

Nevertheless, Viettel’s pressure paid off in the 20th minute when Lucao capitalized on a chaotic moment inside the penalty area to equalize 1-1. For the rest of the first half, the home team dominated with 67.5% possession and 9 shots (5 on target). However, Cao Van Binh kept shining with a series of crucial saves, preventing SLNA from collapsing.

In the second half, the intensity increased. In the 55th minute, SLNA was awarded a penalty after Kyle Colonna pulled an opponent’s shirt inside the box. Olaha calmly scored past Van Viet, putting SLNA ahead 2-1. At the 69th minute, SLNA faced a major setback as Vuong Van Huy received a straight red card for fouling Pedro Henrique.

Despite being a man down, SLNA held firm thanks to the composure and outstanding reflexes of Cao Van Binh. In the 77th minute, Xuan Tien crossed perfectly to Pedro Henrique, but the ball struck the crossbar of SLNA’s young goalkeeper.

As Viettel pushed forward aggressively, SLNA struck the finishing blow. In the 84th minute, Moore sprinted from midfield and delicately lobbed the ball over Van Viet, extending the lead to 3-1. Then in the 90th minute, Olaha completed his brace from the penalty spot after Dinh Viet Tu’s foul inside the box, sealing a 4-1 victory for the visitors.

The full three points allowed SLNA to temporarily rise to 9th place with 13 points, creating a 6-point gap from the bottom team Da Nang, a highly significant advantage in the relegation fight. Meanwhile, Viettel missed the chance to close in on the top group, remaining 3rd with 22 points.

After the match, coach Van Sy Son particularly emphasized the spirit of Cao Van Binh. He shared: “I advised Van Binh to rest for a few days to recover his fitness, but he refused and insisted on training with the whole team.”

Clearly, the victory at Hang Day was not only a shocking scoreline but also marked a significant development in Cao Van Binh’s growth. With his current form, this young goalkeeper is becoming a reliable pillar giving SLNA confidence in the fierce relegation battle ahead.