Brenner's hat-trick helps Bac Ninh Club start favorably in National Cup

Early morning at the training ground, I still record the footsteps of the players, like writing a wordless melody. But this afternoon, at Long An's stadium, that melody had a different rhythm. Bac Ninh, a newly promoted V-League team, had a dramatic 3-2 victory over hosts Long An in the National Cup qualifying round. The hero of the match was Brazilian striker Brenner Marlos with a hat-trick. But this victory, seen as a gift for the city that was upgraded to a centrally-governed city on September 20, raises more questions than answers. Bac Ninh coach Paulo Foiani entered the match with great confidence after a 1-0 win over Cong An TP.HCM in V-League Round 2. Meanwhile, Long An, a team desperate for their first win of the new season after a 0-1 defeat to Cong An Nhan Dan in the First Division, showed great determination from the start. The turning point came from set-pieces. In the 14th minute, from a corner kick, Brenner rose high to head the ball into the net. In the 15th minute, Phan The Hung crossed from the left wing for Brenner to score his second. By the 20th minute, from a Vu Hong Quan free kick, the ball hit the post, and Brenner was there to tap in the rebound to complete his hat-trick. Three goals, three dead-ball or crossing situations. It was an efficient, but not novel, style of play. However, when the score reached 3-0, Bac Ninh suddenly lost control. Long An seemed to wake up, pushed their formation forward, and pressed the visitors. In the 21st minute, they pulled one back. By the 25th minute, Bac Ninh's center-back Van Dat made a clearance error, allowing Romario Alves, the Brazilian striker for Long An, to score and make it 2-3. In the final 15-17 minutes, Bac Ninh could only defend. The rough gem of that year was not sparkling, but I knew I was looking at something breathing. But for Bac Ninh, that gem has a name: Brenner. His hat-trick shows the newly promoted team's almost absolute reliance on their foreign striker. No Vietnamese player from Bac Ninh scored in this match. In the stadium tunnel, the noise stops. Only the heartbeat of the match remains. The victory was praised by local media as a gift for the newly upgraded city of Bac Ninh. But looking closely, Bac Ninh conceded 2 goals in the last 15 minutes, after leading by 3 goals. This is a warning sign about their game management and defensive solidity. The training ground does not lie. It just waits for someone who knows how to listen. For me, this match shows two things. First, Bac Ninh has a clear attacking focal point in Brenner, but if he is marked out or injured, the team will face great difficulties. Second, the defensive fragility in the final minutes is a problem that coach Paulo Foiani needs to address soon. Thirty pages of paper save no one, but the one who reads it is the one who keeps the rhythm. Bac Ninh is off to a good start, but football is a long journey. The question is whether this victory is truly a foundation for a successful season, or just a flash in the pan for a newly promoted team? Look at the next matches, when opponents have figured out their style.