Cong Phuong returns after 1,400 days: Penalty overturned by VAR, Dong Nai loses 0-2 to The Cong

Da Nang, September 5, 2026 – Vietnamese football fans have waited nearly 4 years for this moment. Cong Phuong, the number 10 striker, officially returned to V-League in Dong Nai colors after exactly 1,400 days away. But the script was not what supporters expected. Dong Nai lost 0-2 at home to The Cong, and referee Do Khanh Nam overturned a penalty for the home side after consulting VAR. This was the opening match of the 2026-2026 season, and also the first V-League match for newly promoted Dong Nai after winning the First Division championship in May 2026. Coach Nguyen Viet Thang deployed Cong Phuong as an attacking midfielder, playing just behind the main striker, tasked with pulling the strings and taking set pieces. I have watched the match footage three times, and I must say Coach Thang's tactical intent was clear: entrust all creativity to the number 10. In his 30 minutes on the pitch, Cong Phuong took two corners and one direct free kick that found a teammate's head but went wide of the post. The most notable moment came in the 78th minute, when he was fouled inside the box. Referee Khanh Nam pointed to the spot, but after 3 minutes of VAR consultation, he reversed his decision. The ball was dropped to the The Cong goalkeeper. Cong Phuong stood there, hands on hips, unable to believe his eyes. When the ball is dead on the pitch, the intent lives in every meter of movement. This reversal not only took away Dong Nai's scoring chance but also changed the entire psychological dynamic of the match. The home side was pushing for an equalizer when they were hit by the shock of technology. I have followed many VAR matches in V-League last season, and this situation reveals a major issue: when the main referee lacks confidence in his initial decision, he is easily influenced by pressure from the VAR room. After the final whistle, Cong Phuong did not shake referee Khanh Nam's hand. He followed him to protest, requiring assistant coach Le Phuoc Tu to intervene. In the post-match press conference, Coach Nguyen Viet Thang refused to comment on the refereeing, only saying: "I believe giving the captain's armband to Cong Phuong was not a wrong choice. I want him to maintain that spirit to lead this team." The Japanese taught me patience; the Belgians taught me ruthlessness. Here, I see both: the patience of a 31-year-old player waiting for a chance to return to the top, and the ruthlessness of a match where everything can be overturned in three minutes of VAR. Cong Phuong is no longer the 20-year-old who sprinted past defenders like he did at HAGL. But he remains the only one on the pitch capable of making a difference from a free kick. Dong Nai is facing the harsh reality of a newly promoted team. They lack squad depth, financial muscle, and rely too heavily on one man: Cong Phuong. Chairman Pham Huong Son once refused a special promotion spot last season because he wanted the team to earn promotion on merit. That decision reflects a sound philosophy, but the reality of the pitch is far more ruthless than theory. When the stadium is empty, I find counter-attacks in my own head. And I recall Cong Phuong's missed penalty in last season's promotion play-off – a detail no one mentions in this context, but it shows the psychological pressure weighing on the number 10's feet. The lesson from this match is not in the 0-2 scoreline. It lies in how Dong Nai will respond in the next five matches. If Cong Phuong is disciplined for confronting the referee, the team will lose its only creative source. If not, they need to quickly build alternative attacking options from the wings, reducing reliance on set pieces. Three seconds from your own box to the opponent's box, enough to rewrite history. But for Dong Nai right now, they need more than three seconds – they need a whole season to prove they belong in V-League. And Cong Phuong, at 31, does not have much time left to rewrite his own story.