Bergson salvages draw for JDT at Nam Dinh in Shopee Cup

Bérgson da Silva’s penalty three minutes from time saw Johor Darul Ta’zim FC end Nam Định FC’s perfect record in Group B of the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ in Ninh Binh on Thursday as the Malaysians salvaged a late 1-1 draw.Nguyễn Văn Vĩ had given the hosts the lead in the 33rd minute when he netted from close range after Andoni Zubiaurre had saved Caio César’s penalty and the JDT goalkeeper was on hand to keep out a second spot-kick in the 56th minute when he saved Percy Tau’s attempt.Bérgson then netted his sixth goal of the campaign from the spot in the 87th minute as JDT secured a draw that moves Xisco Muñoz’s side onto 11 points from their five Group A matches. Nam Định remain on top of the standings on 13 points. Bérgson had been inches away from giving JDT the lead in the second minute with a glancing effort while home goalkeeper Trần Nguyên Mạnh needed to be at his sharpest to tip Syahmi Safari’s strike over the bar in the 15th minute as the visitors made a strong start.Văn Vĩ took aim from distance for the home side as the midway point of the first half approached, forcing Zubiaurre to drop to his right to gather while Nguyên Mạnh kept out Hector Hevel’s free kick at the other end.Nam Định responded instantly, breaking in numbers before Tau played Caio Cesar into the penalty area only for Syahmi to upend the forward and prompt referee Hiroki Kasahara to point to the spot.Caio’s penalty was kept out by Zubiaurre but Văn Vĩ pounced on the rebound to give his side the lead.Lucas Alves was denied by Zubiaurre two minutes into the second half, the goalkeeper using his legs to clear a downward header after the Brazilian made a powerful connection with Tau’s free kick from deep.Zubiaurre continued to keep JDT within touching distance in the 56th minute with a second penalty save, this time denying Tau’s spot kick after Hevel had been judged to have handled inside the area. Văn Vĩ chipped over the bar as the final quarter of the game approached.Kasahara then awarded a third penalty in the dying moments when João Figueiredo’s free kick struck Mitchell Dijks on the arm and Bérgson powered the equaliser home despite Nguyên Mạnh diving the right way.

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