Melbourne Victory were forced to settle for a point on their AFC Champions League Two debut.
4,800 spectators, including at least 30 travelling Victory supporters, enjoyed an entertaining Match Day 1 Group E fixture at Hàng Đẫy Stadium in the Vietnamese capital.
Giovanni Savarese’s men took a deserved lead in the 58th minute through Santos’ composed finish – a goal that their attacking play had foreshadowed.
It would not be enough for an away win in Hanoi, as Thể Công levelled matters just four minutes later through a Ribamar header.
Team News
The Head Coach settled on the starting XI that had done much of the heavy lifting to reach the Australia Cup Final a week ago. There was, though, a late withdrawal on the bench, with Harry Sawyer (sickness), a key figure in the cup run, missing out.
Match Action
In hot, humid conditions, the Boys in Blue hustled hard against the 2025/26 V.League 1 runners-up and got an early opportunity to attack down the left, but Matthew Grimaldi’s free-kick was claimed by the goalkeeper.
At the other end, Rimario Gordon was convinced he should have been awarded a penalty despite none of his teammates joining his appeals, as he went down theatrically.
Grimaldi’s next set-piece delivery, this time from an inswinging corner, gave Nguyễn Văn Việt more to consider, who had to be at full stretch to beat the ball away. He then would have been concerned to see Charles Nduka approaching goal from the angle, only for the Japanese forward’s firm effort to hit the side netting.
With half an hour played, and Victory starting to tick, it took some last-ditch blocks as the hosts only half cleared a corner, to keep out Santos and then Louis D’Arrigo. Next, it was purely good fortune that retained parity. Jordi Valadon did excellently to burst into the box and dug out a cross that Nduka headed onto the post.
The home team, in response, determined the best form of defence was attack, and a Gordon belter was blocked by a sturdy Jack Duncan.
Half-time: Thể Công–Viettel 0-0 Melbourne Victory
Thể Công believed they had made the perfect start to the second 45, finding the net inside 60 seconds of the restart. However, as they were starting to celebrate, the referee pulled back play for a handball.
Grimaldi then forced Văn Việt into a reaction save before Santos kept him busy with a low effort that needed turning behind. From the resulting corner, Davidson had a left-footed attempt blocked, with Santos firing over the follow-up.
Victory’s Brazilian would leave his calling card at the next time of asking, collecting possession from Grimaldi, outpacing his marker, and finishing coolly into the far bottom corner.
Unfortunately, the lead would only last four minutes, as just the other side of the hour mark, Ribamar headed in an equaliser from close range.
Eager to inject some fresh legs, Denis Genreau was introduced, and not too far down the road, a triple change by Savarese brought Michael Ghossaini, Harry Shillington and Xavier Stella into the contest, but their best efforts could not produce a winning moment.
Match Details
Thể Công–Viettel 1 (RIBAMAR 62′)
Melbourne Victory 1 (SANTOS 58′)
Thể Công–Viettel starting XI: 28.Nguyễn VĂN VIỆT (GK), 2. Kyle COLONNA, 5. ANDRÉ LUIZ, 9. RIBAMAR (88. Nguyễn VĂN TÚ 88′), 12. Phan TUẤN TÀI (c), 13 Rimario GORDON (95. Júnior BRANDÃO 61′), 14. PAULINHO, 16. Phạm TRUNG HIẾU, 18. Đinh VIẾT TÚ, 66. DAMIAN Vũ (6. Trần DANH TRUNG 77′), 97. Triệu VIỆT HƯNG (8. Nguyễn HỮU THẮNG, 77′).
Substitutes not used: 1. Lawrence CARUSO (GK), 11. Khuất VĂN KHANG, 17. Nguyễn Đức HOÀNG MINH, 20. Đào VĂN NAM, 33. Phí MINH LONG, 89. Lê Quốc NHẬT NAM.
Booking: COLONNA 67′.
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 25. Jack DUNCAN (GK), 16. Joshua INSERRA (36. Harry SHILLINGTON 74′), 15. Tom LOCKYER, Jason DAVIDSON (C), 18. Franco LINO (5. Brendan HAMILL 86′), 8. Jordi VALADON, 6. Louis D’ARRIGO (22. Xavier STELLA 74′), 23. Keegan JELACIC, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 11. SANTOS (29. Michael GHOSSAINI 74′), 44. Charles NDUKA.
Substitutes not used: 1. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 10. Denis GENREAU, 24. Malik OLUKHALE, 30. Daniel GRASKOSKI.
Booking: INSERRA 10′.
