AFC Champions League Comedy: After Brawl, Hanoi Player Asks Beijing Guoan for Water, Gets Refused—Forced to Pick Up a Bottle

Two days ago, Beijing Guoan faced Vietnam’s Hanoi Police in the AFC Champions League, a match that turned dramatic both on and off the ball. What began as a tense contest escalated into a heated clash between players, but the real surprise came right after—when a Hanoi player, parched from the intensity, approached Guoan staff to ask for water, only to be refused.

On the evening of September 18, Guoan hosted Hanoi Police in the first round of the AFC Champions League second-tier group stage. With a crucial Chinese Super League showdown against Shanghai Port looming, Guoan rotated heavily—making 10 changes to their starting lineup. The weakened side showed vulnerability early, conceding the first goal in the opening half.

After the break, Guoan struck back with two goals to turn the game around. Yet Hanoi’s resilience shone through, equalizing in the 73rd minute. Just minutes later, at the 80th, tensions boiled over as players from both teams became embroiled in a mass scuffle, with several wrestled to the ground. From the stands, some Guoan supporters even hurled water bottles toward Hanoi players, though none hit their mark. The referee restored order with a flurry of yellow cards, and the match eventually ended in a 2-2 draw.

The real talking point, however, emerged the next day when a video clip went viral. After the melee subsided, Guoan medical staff approached the halfway line with water. Midfielder Zhang Yuan received a bottle, but when Hanoi’s striker Victor also requested one, the staff refused and walked away.

Clearly exhausted, Victor turned to Zhang Yuan in hopes of sharing. But Zhang, seemingly unaware, drank his fill and tossed the bottle aside. Left with no choice, the thirsty forward picked up the discarded bottle and downed the remainder in one gulp.

Despite the awkward moment, Victor delivered a strong performance, playing the full 90 minutes, registering four shots with two on target, and scoring once to secure a valuable point for his side.