V-League 2025/26: A Tight Start and a Crowded Finish

Changing the coach, but Ninh Bình FC still couldn't change their luck, because SHB Đà Nẵng fought with all their strength, making Coach Vũ Tiến Thành's debut day less joyful. CAHN also couldn't extend their unbeaten streak after losing in the derby Capital, making the championship race more exciting.

The fiery derby at Hàng Đẫy Stadium concluded with a dramatic 2-1 victory favoring Hà Nội FC. The derby loss prevented CAHN from extending their unbeaten run; while they still hold the top spot, they allowed Thể Công Viettel to narrow the gap to 4 points, with one match still pending. Hà Nội FC reclaimed the 4th position from Công an TP.HCM. It seemed CAHN would seize the chance to break away, but with the results of round 15, the championship race has been "reheated" as Thể Công Viettel quietly keeps close.

Hà Nội FC's victory over CAHN didn't come merely from individual brilliance but was the result of a well-planned combat strategy. Coach Harry Kewell shared that he and his associates spent considerable time developing diverse tactical options, including contingency plans for on-field risk situations.

According to Coach Harry Kewell's analysis, the key to Hà Nội FC controlling the match lay in completely blocking the dangerous sparks from the opponent's side. The players' absolute adherence to tactical discipline helped the purple-shirted team maintain a 2-goal lead until the final added minutes, before the opponent scored a consolation goal.

In a match crucial for the season, Đỗ Hoàng Hên shone brightly to become the standout performer. Not limited to scoring two goals, this striker also impressed experts with his sustained high-intensity activity throughout the entire game. He continuously moved, pressured the opponent's defense, and directly participated in defensive actions from afar.

This victory not only brought valuable 3 points but also affirmed the remarkable progress of the domestic players under Coach Harry Kewell's shaping hand. The maturation of individuals like Đỗ Hoàng Hên is becoming a solid foundation for Hà Nội FC to aim for further goals this season and in the future.

CAHN lost and couldn't break away, not to mention Thể Công Viettel quietly follows behind through each round. With Coach Velizar Popov's strategic prowess, Thể Công Viettel plays not too exuberantly but knows how to secure the final victory. Their away win against Becamex TP.HCM is proof.

Thể Công Viettel opened the scoring very early, but Becamex TP.HCM quickly equalized. However, before the first half ended, Thể Công once again took the lead, and Wesley ended the host team's efforts with a goal at the 80th minute. Winning 3-1 overall, Thể Công Viettel has 31 points, reclaiming the second place from Ninh Bình FC. Becamex TP.HCM remains at the 10th position with 15 points.

Becamex TP.HCM lost, Hải Phòng, PVF-CAND, HAGL also lost while SLNA and SHB Đà Nẵng secured full 3 points, making the lower half of the standings extremely crowded. In Pleiku, HAGL continued to sink deeper as the visiting team Công an TPHCM took all 3 points. Although Tiến Linh remained silent, the Vietnamese-origin player Khoa Ngô once again rescued Coach Lê Huỳnh Đức with the sole scoring moment. Three points help Công an TP.HCM maintain the 5th position on the ranking, simultaneously pushing HAGL to stay behind.

The most impressive in round 15 was SLNA. Still adhering to the "minimum win, maximum points" method, SLNA continued their winning song with a 1-0 victory over Hải Phòng. SHB Đà Nẵng also learned how to overcome difficulties in their toughest moments. The 4 points earned in the recent two rounds along with positive professional improvements help the Han River team brighten their chances in the relegation battle.

It can be seen that SLNA's rise in recent rounds or SHB Đà Nẵng's efforts to accumulate points cause the situation in the dangerous zone to continuously change. With the point gap not too large between teams, the relegation race promises many fluctuations and might only be decided in the final rounds of the season.