National Cup 2026-2027: Foreign striker scores hat-trick as Bac Ninh starts favorably with thrilling victory

A qualifying round match of the 2026-2027 Vietnamese National Cup between Long An and Bac Ninh played on September 19 delivered a thrilling scenario. Bac Ninh — newly promoted to V-League 1 via a playoff victory over PVF-CAND — led 3-0 before the home side scored twice, closing the match with a 3-2 victory. The standout performer was Brazilian foreign striker Brenner Marlos, who completed a hat-trick in his National Cup debut. Brenner's first goal came from a corner kick. From an accurately delivered set piece into the penalty area, the Brazilian striker rose highest and directed the ball into the net past Long An's defense. The second goal came from a left-wing cross by Phan The Hung — a low delivery that cut across the face of goal, allowing Brenner a close-range one-touch finish. The third goal had an element of fortune: from a Vu Hong Quan free kick on the right, the ball struck the post and bounced out, with Brenner quickest to tap in from close range, extending the lead to 3-0 just before halftime. All three goals originated from set pieces or wide crosses — an efficient but not tactically novel attacking approach. Bac Ninh, under coach Paulo Foiani, relied primarily on Brenner's aerial ability as a central focal point for quick transitions from defense to attack. However, the second half revealed a completely different complexion. After Long An pulled one back, Bac Ninh's defense began to crumble. The home side unexpectedly pushed their formation higher, pressing aggressively and creating continuous danger in front of goal. Long An's second goal came from a scramble inside the box, where center-back Van Dat — expected to be a defensive anchor — failed to clear the ball properly, allowing the opponent striker a close-range finish. This individual error exposed Bac Ninh's defensive organization problems in the closing stages. Despite allowing the deficit to shrink to one goal, Bac Ninh held on for victory. This narrow win raises questions about the team's game management. In roughly 15 to 17 minutes after scoring the third goal, the visitors completely lost control and were forced to play deeper. This is a notable signal that the coaching staff must address if Bac Ninh aims to compete seriously in V-League 1. On the personnel front, Long An also featured Brazilian foreign striker Romario Alves, who contributed significantly to both comeback goals. This is an important tactical note: both teams in this match depended heavily on Brazilian foreign imports to generate attacking threat — a familiar structural feature of Vietnamese football at all levels. The victory held special significance given the administrative context. Bac Ninh officially upgraded to a centrally-governed city from September 20, just one day after the match. Coach Paulo Foiani described the win as a gift for the city on this historic occasion, expressing pride in bringing joy to local fans during a landmark moment. Looking at the 2026-2027 season trajectory, Bac Ninh is showing an impressive start well beyond expectations for a newly promoted side. Prior to this National Cup match, the team had shocked everyone by defeating championship candidate Cong An TP.HCM 1-0 in V-League 1 Round 2. Two consecutive victories against higher-ranked opponents suggest Bac Ninh is not merely aiming to survive but is targeting a solid position in the top flight. Conversely, Long An is experiencing a difficult opening to the season. The team suffered a 0-1 defeat to Cong An Nhan Dan in First Division Round 1 and now adds another home loss in the cup. With the goal of securing a first win of the season still unfulfilled, pressure is mounting on the southern club in the coming rounds. From a tactical perspective, the match offers lessons for both sides. For Bac Ninh, aside from Brenner's impressive display, the defense requires significant improvement in the closing stages. Complete reliance on a single attacking outlet also carries major risk if the foreign striker faces fitness issues or a dip in form. For Long An, inadequate preparation for aerial deliveries and second balls allowed goals to be conceded too easily. The two second-half goals showed the team lacks no fighting spirit, but needs greater stability from the start of matches. Bac Ninh advances to the next round of the National Cup with momentum and confidence. However, with only two to three matches in the sample, the data is far too small to accurately assess the team's true capability. Upcoming V-League 1 fixtures will serve as the real measure of ambitions for this club from the newly upgraded city.