Thể Công Viettel 2-2 Bắc Ninh: Brenner's 90+10th-minute header piles pressure on Popov

Thể Công Viettel let a stoppage-time lead slip and were held 2-2 by Bắc Ninh at Hàng Đẫy on 23 October 2026 (19:15 kick-off, Vietnam time) in round 5 of LPBank V.League 1 2026/27. Ten-man Bắc Ninh equalised through a Brenner header in the 90+10th minute, leaving Velizar Popov's side 11th on 4 points, one behind the newly promoted visitors in 10th.

How the lead slipped away

Bắc Ninh coach Paulo Foiani set his team up to sit deep and counter, Thanh Niên wrote, and the first half finished goalless. Thể Công's best chance came in the 30th minute, when Lucas Ribamar's header beat goalkeeper Văn Công but was cleared off the line, according to Bongdaplus.

Ribamar broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, running onto a long pass from Triệu Việt Hưng and beating Văn Công. In the 65th minute Brenner went down in the home penalty area, but referee Nguyễn Viết Duẩn reviewed the incident on VAR and gave nothing. Bắc Ninh levelled in the 74th: Ngân Văn Đại took a pass from Vitao, turned and finished past goalkeeper Văn Việt to make it 1-1.

Late on, after another VAR check, Duẩn awarded Thể Công a penalty for a foul by Mai Xuân Quyết on Ribamar and sent the defender off; SGGP described it as a shirt pull. Hernandes da Silva converted in stoppage time for 2-1. Reports differ on the exact minute of the penalty. Even so, Bắc Ninh struck in the 90+10th minute, when Fisher, SGGP reported, worked his way down the right and crossed for Brenner to head in from close range. Foiani was then sent off for his reaction.

Four league games without a win

Thanh Niên and SGGP both noted that this was the fifth match in a row in which Thể Công played against ten men, yet they again failed to win. Sportmonks data show four straight league games without a victory; Bongdaplus counts six across all competitions.

Popov, the Bulgarian coach, admitted afterwards that the team have very serious problems and no way of solving them yet, Bongda24h reported. He said the plan had been to handle the schedule with 30 players but only around 18 are currently available because of injuries and illness. The club are still waiting for paperwork that would let them use striker Rimario as a naturalised player. Popov added that he was not looking for excuses, because responsibility for results ultimately lies with him.

Bắc Ninh assistant Phạm Hùng Vương, standing in for the suspended Foiani at the press conference, said he regarded the draw as being like a win, according to Bongda24h. Before kick-off Thanh Niên noted that Bắc Ninh had the league's best defence, with only 2 goals conceded in four games; they let in two more here.

What comes next

Thể Công are just one point above Đà Nẵng (3 points), who will host Hà Nội at 18:00 on 25 October 2026 to close round 5. In round 6, Thể Công will travel to Nam Định at Thiên Trường at 18:00 on 31 October 2026, while Bắc Ninh will host HAGL at 18:00 on 30 October 2026.

See the V.League fixtures and the V.League table. Background: Thể Công Viettel coach Velizar Popov under pressure after three straight defeats.