In the last match of day 2.1 in the Ho Chi Minh City regional qualifying round, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education team won with a huge score of 7-1 against the University of Finance – Marketing team. However, this result did not make head coach Pham Thai Vinh smile. Because before that, the team, Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education, received a 0-2 defeat against its direct competitor, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team, in the opening match. This loss puts the defending champion team in a difficult position, facing the risk of being eliminated right from the group round.
After the match with the most goals since the beginning of the tournament so far, Mr. Vinh shared: “I am in a state of anxiety, having to wait. The competition in the Ho Chi Minh City regional qualifiers is very tough. Although the Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education team has 3 points and a difference of +4 after 2 matches, they do not have the right to decide their own fate.”
Ngo Manh Huy Hoang is the backbone of the defending champion team of Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education
And until the morning of January 3, coach Pham Thai Vinh could breathe a sigh of relief. In the remaining competition of the second match in group 1 between the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team and the Saigon Polytechnic College team, another surprise happened. The Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team, led by coach Ho Van Lung, was rated higher but lost 0-2. Coach Ho Van Lung and his team’s stumble made the situation in group 1 more unpredictable, and at the same time helped the defending champion Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education “resurrect” in the race to win tickets. play-off round.
Highlight Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport 0-2 Saigon Polytechnic College | TNSV THACO cup 2025 qualifying round
From having very little chance of winning play-off tickets, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Sports and Education team now has a part of the right to self-determine their destiny. In the final match of group 1, which took place on the afternoon of January 7, coach Pham Thai Vinh’s team was forced to defeat the Saigon Polytechnic College team.
The hope of continuing for coach Pham Thai Vinh and his team (right) was rekindled, after the unexpected defeat of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team in the second match.
If the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports team wins the Saigon Polytechnic College team with a score difference of 2 goals (or higher) such as 3-1, 4-2,… then coach Pham Thai Vinh and his team will will definitely participate in the play-off round without having to wait for the results of the remaining matches.
If the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team draws or loses in the final match, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports team will continue if they win with any score against the Saigon Polytechnic University team.
Coach Pham Thai Vinh affirmed: “We will fight with all our might, for each match, whether the chance of getting to the next round is high or low, no matter what challenges we face. The University of Education team Sports will continue to fight even though there is only a 1% chance, because we are the defending champions. In the 2024 season, the champion team Hue University was eliminated from the regional qualifiers go into the same rut there”.
