Nguyễn Trần Việt Cường scored in stoppage time to give Becamex TP.HCM a 1-0 win over Công an Nhân dân (CAND) in the seventh round of Vietnam’s first division on 7 November. The visitors had earlier lost Phạm Lý Đức to a red card in the second half at Bình Dương.
SGGP Sports said the result moved Becamex provisionally top on 16 points. CAND stayed on 10 after a meeting between two teams competing for promotion.
The second-half turning point
Becamex entered the round on 13 points, level with Hưng Yên and Thái Nguyên, and three ahead of CAND, according to SGGP. Heavy rain left standing water on the pitch and disrupted both teams’ passing.
Lý Đức was sent off after an incident involving Việt Cường as the home forward moved towards goal. CAND protested referee Nguyễn Kim Việt Bảo’s decision. Tuổi Trẻ reported that the referee consulted VAR before making the call.
The decision left CAND with fewer players for the remainder of the second half.
Becamex increased their pressure and Việt Cường eventually scored the only goal in added time, securing all three points for the hosts.
The promotion race
Tuổi Trẻ counted it as Việt Cường’s second goal in seven league appearances before he was due to join Vietnam’s squad for the Casper Cup. The newspaper noted that Becamex had also beaten CLB TP.HCM 2-1 in round three with a stoppage-time goal.
The win extended Becamex’s advantage over CAND to six points. Hưng Yên and Thái Nguyên had 13 points before their scheduled matches on 8 November, so the leaders’ position was provisional when the reports were published. More Vietnam football news.