Despite scoring twice against Tampines, Đình Bắc still walks away empty-handed.

Twice he scored against Tampines Rovers in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16, yet neither goal was recognized because of unfortunate rulings.

Nguyễn Đình Bắc’s dream of making a mark on the continental stage has been filled with ironic twists. In the tournament AFC Champions League Two 2025/2026 season, the young striker from Hanoi Police Club scored twice against the opponent, but both goals were disallowed. Moments that seemed like breakthroughs quickly ended in disappointment.

The first incident happened in the first leg of the Round of 16 against Tampines Rovers FC at Hàng Đẫy Stadium. Đình Bắc scored the winning goal to seal a 4-0 victory for CAHN, concluding a convincing performance by the police club. However, that joy was short-lived. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) later annulled the match result and awarded a 0-3 loss to CAHN due to the use of an ineligible player, which also erased Đình Bắc’s goal from the records.

The controversy didn’t end there. In the second leg on the evening of February 18, the 2004-born striker once again put the ball into the Singaporean team’s net. In the 56th minute, after a pass from Quang Hải, Đình Bắc maneuvered and shot from a tight angle, sending the crowd into jubilation. Yet after consulting VAR, the referee ruled that a teammate committed a foul before the goal and disallowed the score.

Two disallowed celebrations in the knockout stage have made Đình Bắc’s journey in the AFC Champions League Two particularly harsh. From a chance to boost his scoring record, he instead had to watch his efforts go unrecognized on the scoreboard. This is clearly a significant psychological challenge for a young striker eager to prove himself on the continental stage.

So far, Đình Bắc has only one official goal for CAHN this season in the AFC Champions League Two. That goal came in the 90th minute, securing a 2-1 victory over Beijing Guoan in the group stage last November — a moment that demonstrated the young striker’s composure and determination.

Nevertheless, despite the repeated disallowed goals, Đình Bắc’s professional contributions cannot be denied. His positioning, confidence in finishing, and never-give-up attitude remain highlights of his play. Looking ahead, what Đình Bắc likely needs most is a bit of luck so that his efforts are truly acknowledged in the AFC Champions League Two arena.