Vietnamese overseas player Khoa Ngo reveals when Tien Linh let him take the penalty kick: 'He told me that...'

On March 20th, Vietnamese overseas forward Khoa Ngo once again scored a crucial goal, helping Ho Chi Minh City Police Club defeat Truong Tuoi Dong Nai to advance to the semifinals of the 2025/26 National Cup.

The match unfolded at an extremely fast pace with intense pressure from the home team at Thong Nhat Stadium. However, a series of shots from forwards like Tien Linh and Dinh Thanh Binh failed to beat goalkeeper Tan Truong. On the other side, Dong Nai also had notable counter-attacks, but lacked the sharpness to make a difference.

Entering the second half, the game became more tense as both teams increased their tempo. HCMC Police had a clear opportunity in the 59th minute when Khoa Ngo faced the goalkeeper, but his shot unfortunately missed the post. However, just over 10 minutes later, this forward managed to correct his mistake. In the 70th minute, Khoa Ngo's rapid burst forced defender Tan Sinh to foul inside the penalty area. After consulting VAR at the 73rd minute, referee Tran Ngoc Nho decided to uphold the penalty call and also issued a card to Tan Sinh.

At the penalty spot, Khoa Ngo was allowed by Tien Linh to take the penalty kick to score the sole goal, securing victory for the home team. Sharing about this moment after the match, he stated:

"Regarding the penalty situation, I discussed it with Tien Linh. He said if I felt confident enough, I should take the penalty kick. I felt confident, so I accepted the shot."

Additionally, the 2006-born player affirmed that the entire team exerted maximum effort to achieve this victory. During training sessions, the team had also considered scenarios and practiced penalty kicks to prepare for the quarter-final round.

When asked about Ho Chi Minh City Police Club soon bidding farewell to Thong Nhat Stadium to move and play at Binh Duong Stadium, Khoa Ngo confirmed: "Regardless of playing on grass or any other pitch, I will still perform normally. Especially, when I have teammates playing alongside me, I am completely confident."

"I want to express my thanks to the fans. This journey is not yet over, we still have much work to do," he added.