Nam Dịnh move clear in Group B Shopee Cup™ 2025/26

V.League 1 champions Nam Định FC moved to the top of Group B in the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ on Wednesday, as Mauro Jerónimo’s side handed Bangkok United FC a 4-1 defeat in Pathum Thani to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.

Goals from Lucas, Nguyễn Xuân Son and Trần Ngọc Sơn put Nam Định in a commanding position by the hour mark to ensure Wisarut Imura’s 85th minute strike was little more than a consolation. Xuân Son’s late second confirmed the result five minutes into stoppage time.The win was Nam Định’s third in a row in the competition and moves the Vietnamese side onto nine points, two clear of Johor Darul Ta’zim FC with two matches remaining in the group phase. Bangkok United stay in fifth on a solitary point.“I think the team played good today,” said Xuân Son, who has scored five times in two appearances in the Shopee Cup™. “We kept compact, the pressing was strong and I think we played very well.“The most important is we got three points and now we have two games at home and we have to keep going.”Lucas put Nam Định ahead in the 44th minute when he coolly tucked the ball beyond goalkeeper Phuwadol Pholsongkram and, four minutes after the interval, Xuân Son netted from close range.Substitute Trần Ngọc Sơn pounced in the 59th minute to net the third and, while Bangkok United captain Wisarut headed in a consolation in the 85th minute, Xuân Son had the final say with a brilliant strike for his second in stoppage time.

Lion City Sailors FC, meanwhile, remain in fourth place in the Group B standings with a 3-2 win over Myanmar’s Shan United FC at Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

Lennart Thy scored twice and Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne, playing in his last match in the competition for Lion City before leaving the club at the end of the month, was also on target for the Singapore Premier League champions at Jalan Besar Stadium.

Lion City picked up their first win of the 2025/26 campaign despite a spirited performance by the visitors from Myanmar, who twice battled back to level against their hosts before Thy hit the 68th minute winner.

The German had put his side ahead in the 23rd minute but Matheus Souza’s penalty five minutes later levelled the scores only for Lestienne to restore his side’s advantage three minutes into stoppage time.

Ryuji Hirota equalised again in the 66th minute but Thy’s clever flick from close range two minutes later secured the points for Lion City, who move onto four points from three matches as Shan United remain at the bottom of the standings without a point.

“A home win is always important,” said Thy. “It’s a big step forward. Now we have two more games which we need to perform, we need to get our results and then we will see what’s going to happen.”

The 2025/26 Shopee Cup™ will return for Matchday Four on January 28 when defending champions Buriram United FC travel to Singapore to face Tampines Rovers FC in Group A as BG Pathum United FC host DH Cebu FC and Công An Hà Nội FC travel to Selangor FC.

A day later, Nam Định will host Lion City Sailors while PKR Svay Rieng FC entertain Bangkok United and JDT host Shan United at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.

Today’s Shopee Star of the Match award winners are:

Bangkok United FC (THA) v Nam Ðįnh FC (VIE) – Nguyễn Xuân Son (#12), Nam Định FC

Lion City Sailors (SIN) v Shan United FC (MYA) – Lennart Thy (#9), Lion City Sailors FC

The Shopee Cup™ 2025/26 Matchday 4 January 28 and 29 fixtures:

Catch all the Shopee Cup™ news at https://aseanutdfc.com/asean-club-championship and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn

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