Hung Yen defeated Hoang Anh Gia Lai 2:3 in the Round of 32 of the Cup on 2026-09-20. The visitors overturned a first-half deficit with a flurry of goals in the second period. It was a result that would have been unthinkable before the 55th minute, when the hosts took the lead.
Nguyen Dang Duong broke the deadlock with a goal in the 55th minute. Hoang Anh Gia Lai had looked comfortable enough to take something home, especially with their recent struggles showing through in the first half. To be fair, they had not been playing badly, just not efficiently.
Then everything shifted. Matheus Lucas equalised in the 61st minute, and S. Joseph put the visitors ahead with two quick strikes in the 74th and 77th minutes. And here's the thing — Hung Yen had not been dominant in possession, but they were clinical when it mattered. The Vietnamese side had been struggling, losing three of their last five before this triumph.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai thought they had salvaged something when a penalty was awarded in the 90th minute plus three. The spot-kick was missed, and then Matheus Lucas struck again in the 90th minute plus four. By then, the match was effectively over, though the late drama kept spectators on edge until the final whistle.
The recent form of both sides tells part of the story. Hung Yen came into this fixture with a solid 3:0 victory over Thanh Quang Ninh, having lost 1:2 to Bac Ninh in their previous outing. Hoang Anh Gia Lai, meanwhile, had endured a difficult spell — defeats to Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, and Binh Duong among their last five results before a 3:1 win over Hanoi.
The Cup exit leaves Hoang Anh Gia Lai without a knockout competition result this season. Hung Yen advance to face whoever emerges from their Round of 32 tie, carrying momentum from a performance that showed resilience when pressure was applied.
