HANOI: V.League 1 champions Nam Dinh FC became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the 2025/26 Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup on Thursday, as a 3-0 win over Lion City Sailors FC in Group B guaranteed their progress to the knockout rounds.
Shopee Star of the Match Nguyen Xuan Son scored twice after Caio Cesar had given the hosts a first-half lead to ensure Mauro Jerónimo’s Nam Dinh side picked up its fourth win in a row in the region’s premier club competition and confirmed its place in the last four.
Caio Cesar put Nam Dinh in front with a curling effort from distance in the 35th minute at the Thien Truong Stadium before Xuan Son capitalised on a defensive error to slot in his side’s second in the 61st minute.
Xuan Son then rolled in the third in stoppage time to claim his seventh goal in three matches and move clear at the top of the scoring charts as Nam Dinh progressed.
The win took Nam Dinh onto 12 points and means Jeronimo’s team can finish no lower than second in Group B with one round of matches remaining. Lion City Sailors sit in fourth and have been eliminated.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim FC took a huge stride towards the knockout rounds with a 3-0 win over Myanmar’s Shan United FC at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor.
Bergson da Silva scored twice in four second-half minutes as JDT was made to wait by a stubborn Shan United defence before securing the points.
It took until the 65th minute for JDT to seize the lead, having laid siege to the visitors’ goal, with Oscar Arribas claiming the opener at a corner.
Two minutes later, Bergson, who came on as a substitute in the second half, slid his first of the evening beyond goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Phyo, and four minutes later, the Brazilian headed in at a corner to seal a win that keeps Xisco Munoz’s side in contention for a place in the semi-finals.
“It feels good, I feel very proud,” said Bergson, who was named the Shopee Star of the Match after scoring his fifth goal in this year’s competition. “Sometimes in a match, you feel very anxious. Luckily, we did well in the second half, and I scored two goals. I’m very happy.
“I think we have a very good chance (in the tournament) because we have a good squad and we can rotate our important players. Our expectation is very high.”
The result moves JDT onto 10 points ahead of their final Group B meeting with Nam Dinh in Vietnam on February 5. A draw will be enough for JDT to advance, while a win would see the Malaysian club top the standings.
Shopee Star of the Match award winners:
Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (MAS) v Shan United FC (MYA) – Bergson da Silva (#9), Johor Darul Ta'zim FC
Nam Dinh FC (VIE) v Lion City Sailors FC (SIN) – Nguyen Xuan Son (#14), Nam Dinh FC
