Completely outmatched, Nam Dinh suffers defeat in the Asian tournament

(Football results) - Nam Dinh was defeated 1-3 at Gamba Osaka’s home ground in the third round of Group F in the 2025/26 AFC Cup 2, holding the second spot with 6 points from three games.

On the afternoon of October 22 (Vietnam time), Nam Dinh traveled to face Gamba Osaka in the third round of Group F in the 2025/26 AFC Cup 2. Despite their best efforts, the V.League representatives couldn’t surprise the strong Japanese side and accepted the loss.

Right after the kickoff, Gamba Osaka quickly pushed forward and applied heavy pressure. In the 17th minute, the home team converted their dominance into the opening goal by Rin Mito, following a well-placed cross from the right flank. Nam Dinh then tried to tighten their formation but failed to create any breakthroughs. They were almost entirely dominated in the first half and went into the break trailing 0-1.

In the second half, Gamba Osaka continued to control the game. In the 52nd minute, Issam Jebali easily tapped in close range to double the home side’s lead. Meanwhile, Nam Dinh’s defense appeared confused and failed to tightly mark the opposing forwards. By the 89th minute, Gamba Osaka scored their third goal after the ball deflected off a Nam Dinh defender and went straight into the net.

Nam Dinh managed a consolation goal in the 93rd minute thanks to a skillful move and a precise diagonal finish by striker Kyle Hudlin. However, this goal wasn’t enough to prevent coach Vu Hong Viet’s team from losing.

At the end of the match, Gamba Osaka won 3-1, strengthening their top position in Group F with a perfect 9 points from 3 matches. Nam Dinh remains second with 6 points, one win behind their opponent, and will need significant improvements to keep hopes alive for progressing in this season’s AFC Cup 2.

95': FULL TIME!!!

Nam Dinh 1-3 Gamba Osaka.

93': GOAL... Nam Dinh reduces the deficit to 1-3

Kyle Hudlin controlled the ball neatly before firing a precise diagonal shot that beat the Gamba Osaka goalkeeper.

90': There will be 5 minutes of added time

89': GOAL... 3-0 for Gamba Osaka

The Japanese side scored their third goal. A Gamba Osaka player’s shot deflected off a Nam Dinh defender and went into the net.

73': Missed chance

Brenner had a shot inside Gamba Osaka’s box, but his effort lacked power and precision to beat the keeper. Nam Dinh remains completely outplayed by the proactive, versatile, and controlled style of the Japanese team.

64': Not a goal

Gamba Osaka combined smoothly to approach Nam Dinh’s goal, but Makoto Mitsuta’s final shot was off target, missing the chance to extend the lead to 3-0.

52': GOAL... Gamba Osaka doubles the lead

Jebali easily tapped in an open goal after a perfect cross from his teammate.

46': SECOND HALF BEGINS!!!

Gamba Osaka kicks off.

45+2': HALF TIME

Nam Dinh is temporarily trailing 0-1 to Gamba Osaka after the first 45 minutes.

45': There will be 2 minutes of added time in the first half.

35': Stalemate

Nam Dinh is struggling to break through and apply pressure on Gamba Osaka’s goal.

26': Dangerous moment

Issam Jebali skillfully maneuvered inside Nam Dinh’s box before firing a sharp shot, but goalkeeper Caique made an excellent save. However, Nam Dinh’s defense is showing many weaknesses, frequently allowing opposing forwards to break free and create dangerous chances.

17': GOAL... Gamba Osaka takes the lead

Under intense pressure from the home team, Nam Dinh’s defense finally gave way. Following a precise cross from a teammate, Rin Mito quickly finished from close range to open the scoring for Gamba Osaka.

7': Dangerous

The Japanese side quickly pushed their formation forward, openly aiming to overwhelm Nam Dinh early on.

1': MATCH STARTS!!!

Nam Dinh kicks off first.

Nam Dinh starting lineup

When and where to watch Nam Dinh vs Gamba Osaka live?

• Match time: 17:00 on October 22, 2025.
• Venue: Suita City Stadium.
• Tournament: Third round of Group F in the 2025/26 AFC Cup 2.
• Broadcast channel: Updating.

Expected lineups for Nam Dinh vs Gamba Osaka

• Gamba Osaka:Higashiguchi, Kurokawa, Nakatani, Miura, Handa, Mito, Suzuki, Yamashita, Usami, Okunuki, Hummet
• Thep Xanh Nam Dinh:Caique, Pham Ba, Walber, Lucao, Dijks, Brenner, Romulo, Caio, Hansen, Tau, Eid Mahmoud

Preview of Nam Dinh vs Gamba Osaka

Thep Xanh Nam Dinh is currently on a 4-match winless streak in V.League, dropping to 10th place. Playing across multiple competitions has caused frequent lineup changes, reducing team cohesion. Despite a win over Eastern in the AFC Champions League Two, their form remains inconsistent with only 3 wins in the last 7 matches.

Visiting Gamba Osaka (continental champions and J League winners) will be a huge challenge. Both teams have 6 points after 2 rounds, making this match a “group final.” Although Gamba Osaka recently lost 0-5 in the J League, they are likely to focus heavily on the Asian competition. Nam Dinh is expected to field mostly foreign players like Caique, Lucao, Caio Cesar, Hansen, Dijks, Brenner, and Percy Tau, but their chances of securing points are slim.

Form and head-to-head of Nam Dinh vs Gamba Osaka

• Gamba Osaka: Won 3 of their last 5 matches (3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), scoring 9 goals and conceding 8. Despite a heavy 0-5 loss to Kashima Reysol, the Japanese side has shown strong attacking power, especially at home with wins of 4-2 against Niigata and 3-1 against Yokohama.
• Thep Xanh Nam Dinh: Won only 2 of their last 5 matches (2 wins, 3 losses), scoring 6 and conceding 6. The Nam team has been unstable, particularly away, with 3 consecutive away matches without a win (2 losses, 1 draw).
• Head-to-head: The two teams have never met before, so this AFC Champions League Two encounter will be their first ever meeting.

Related articles

Japanese coach declares intention to beat Nam Dinh in Asian Cup Gamba Osaka’s coach Poyatos shows great respect for Nam Dinh but vows to defeat them to maintain top spot in the group. See more