Coach Harry Kewell expressed frustration over goalkeeper Dinh Trieu's excessive time-wasting.

Hanoi FC lost 0-1 to Hai Phong at Lach Tray Stadium, Coach Harry Kewell admitted the team "lost by their own mistakes" and criticized the opposing goalkeeper for excessive time-wasting.

Hanoi FC unexpectedly lost to Hai Phong FC with a score of 0-1. at Lach Tray Stadium in round 17 of V.League 2025/26, causing great disappointment for the capital's fans. The only goal of the match came in the 78th minute, following a combination play on the left flank by Nguyen Huu Son and a precise finish by Nguyen Huu Nam, defeating goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan. This defeat made Hanoi FC complicate their own path to the top 3, as the team currently ranks 4th with 27 points, one point behind Ninh Binh FC.

After the match, Coach Harry Kewell candidly shared his views on the opponent's playing style: “Their goalkeeper spent quite a lot of time on the ground. In my opinion, that is not a beautiful part of football, but we have to accept it.” The Australian coach emphasized that this was a clear tactic by Hai Phong to slow down the pace of the match, but at the same time, Hanoi FC still had to face internal issues.

He also acknowledged that the fault lay with his own team: “In this match, each team had its own style of play. Among them, Hanoi FC wanted to play proper football, but I want to emphasize that we lost today's match by our own mistakes.” These words show that Coach Harry Kewell did not blame the opponent entirely but clearly recognized the responsibility from his own players.

Additionally, Coach Kewell also mentioned personnel difficulties: key midfielder Nguyen Hai Long suffered an injury during the national team training camp, and that was also a loss. Nevertheless, he still expects the team to overcome the pressure: “Of course, I always want the players to make good use of their opportunities, but more importantly, they must fulfill their duties on the field correctly.”

The loss to Hai Phong was not just about the result; it also reflected limitations in Hanoi FC's gameplay development and utilization of opportunities. As the season enters its crucial phase, these issues need to be addressed quickly if the team wants to maintain its position among the leading group.

Overall, this match was an important lesson for Hanoi FC regarding focus, adaptability to opponent tactics, and maintaining performance despite missing key players. With this mindset, Coach Harry Kewell hopes his players will learn from the experience and return strongly in the upcoming rounds.