Van Hau's red card and stoppage-time winner: CAHN's resilient display against Viettel

The marquee match of round 2 in V-League 2026-2027 between CAHN and Viettel at Hang Day Stadium delivered a breathless script, ending with a late 1-0 victory for the home side. But what made the match memorable was not just the three points, but how CAHN overcame adversity after Doan Van Hau's red card in the 69th minute. From the start, CAHN controlled the game better thanks to their quality squad. However, everything changed when Van Hau received a straight red card for a violent tackle. Coach Polking admitted after the match: "Van Hau's red card was the key of the match. After that, Viettel played more proactively, while we were in difficulty due to being short-handed." Indeed, Viettel pushed forward, but CAHN's defense held firm, waiting for counter-attacking opportunities. In the 90+2 minute, Stefan Mauk headed in from a cross, sealing the win for CAHN. An unbelievable finish for the team that had played over 20 minutes with 10 men. Polking praised the team spirit: "The whole team showed solidarity and fought with all our effort. This victory is worthy of the players' sacrifice." On the other side, coach Popov expressed regret. He said his team made only one mistake in the last second and had to pay the price. But what worried him more was the injury to midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan. "Losing Ngoc Tan is a big loss. He will certainly miss the next match," Popov said. This injury further complicates the squad situation as Viettel prepare for the AFC Cup 2. The story goes beyond a single match. CAHN faces a congested schedule due to AFC Champions League participation, where there is no limit on foreign players, while the V-League still imposes a foreign player quota. Polking acknowledged: "We have to calculate match by match, because of the difference in registration rules for foreign players between the two competitions." This forces CAHN to maintain two flexible lineups: one for continental competition, one for domestic league. Rotation will be key to maintaining form. Van Hau's red card also raises discipline concerns. As Vietnam's top left-back in his prime, his hot temper could lead to a heavier ban. If the VPF Disciplinary Committee escalates the punishment for "violent conduct," CAHN will miss him for several important upcoming matches, putting pressure on an already thin defense. Overall, this win gives CAHN a positive start but reveals underlying weaknesses. Reliance on fighting spirit and luck cannot last. Meanwhile, Viettel needs to quickly lift their morale after a painful loss, especially after losing key player Ngoc Tan. The long race of V-League 2026-2027 has just begun, and both teams have their own challenges to overcome.