Thể Công Viettel's head coach Velizar Popov (third from right) recceiving his second yellow card. Photo bongdaplus.vn

Anh Đức

Thể Công Viettel beat Thanh Hóa 1-0 at Hàng Đẫy on Thursday night in the V.League, but nobody is talking about the result. The entire conversation has been consumed by what happened in stoppage time: coach Velizar Popov losing his composure, receiving a straight red card, then throwing his accreditation badge and a water bottle in fury before being escorted from the technical area.

The flashpoint came in the first minute of extra time, when Thanh Hóa's Trương Thanh Nam lunged into a reckless tackle on Wesley Nata near the touchline. Popov, standing metres away, demanded a red card. Referee Nguyễn Viết Duẩn, however, showed only a yellow. Popov protested furiously to the fourth official Ngô Duy Lân, who reportedly responded with a dismissive remark before calling the referee over. Duẩn then booked Popov with a yellow, followed almost immediately by a second yellow and then a red, all within the space of two minutes. The Bulgarian snapped entirely, hurling his badge towards the tunnel.

Let me be clear: Popov's behaviour was unacceptable. A head coach throwing objects and berating officials sets a terrible example, regardless of the provocation. The V.League's competition organiser, VPF, has already forwarded reports to the VFF disciplinary committee, and Popov faces a fine and a touchline ban for up to five matches. That punishment, if it comes, would be deserved. A coach who demands discipline from his players must hold himself to the same standard.

But the story does not end there, and to treat the situation purely as a case of managerial misconduct would be to miss the bigger picture.

In the first half alone, VAR disallowed two goals for Thể Công Viettel, leaving the home side feeling aggrieved. The tackle on Nata in stoppage time appeared, to most observers, to warrant more than a yellow. Popov's assistant, Nguyễn Văn Biển, who attended the post-match press conference in his manager's absence, did not mince words.

He stated that the red card was unjust, that Popov had merely asked the fourth official why the Thanh Hóa player was not being sent off, and that Lân's response, a shrug and the words "that's football", was what pushed the situation beyond the point of no return.

This is not the first time Popov has clashed with V.League referees. Before this round, he had publicly labelled one official as a "killer". Thể Công Viettel has repeatedly requested foreign referees for their matches, arguing that domestic officiating is not up to the standard required for a title race. The denial of those requests only intensifies the frustration.

Interestingly, referee Duẩn is the same official who sent off a Công An Hà Nội club leader two years ago in similar circumstances - a pattern that suggests the problem may not lie with any single coach's temperament.

Meanwhile, Thanh Hóa's coach, Mai Xuân Hợp, offered a stark contrast in his press conference, calling the refereeing decisions "completely normal" and Popov's reaction "understandable in professional football".

The V.League has a refereeing problem. VAR was supposed to be the solution, but technology is only as effective as the people operating it. When coaches feel they have no recourse, when asking a question earns you a booking, the system is failing.

Popov exploded because he felt powerless. That doesn't justify his actions, but it should make the league question why one of its most decorated foreign coaches felt he had no other option. VNS