Before Round 16 of V-League: The Major Battle of Ninh Bình vs CAHN

The highlight of this round will be at Ninh Bình Stadium, where the host team will rematch CAHN – the strongest candidate for the title currently.

Round 16 of V.League 2025/26 kicks off on March 13 with three notable matches. At Chi Lăng Stadium, SHB Đà Nẵng (11 points) welcomes Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (14 points) in a rematch after the first leg where HAGL won 1-0. The team from the Han River is in good spirits after drawing with Ninh Bình FC in the previous round and recently moved up to tie PVF-CAND in points. Meanwhile, HAGL has suffered two consecutive defeats and is only 3 points ahead of the bottom group, so this match is predicted to be very evenly balanced.

Also on March 13, the reigning champion Thép Xanh Nam Định (18 points) hosts Đông Á Thanh Hóa (13 points) at Thiên Trường Stadium. The home team is experiencing a strong revival with a streak of 5 unbeaten matches and two consecutive victories, thereby escaping the danger zone. The return of coach Vũ Hồng Việt along with the good form of key players gives Nam Định higher expectations than Thanh Hóa – a team that just lost in round 15 and remains near the bottom of the table.

The remaining match on Friday is the clash between Hà Nội FC (24 points) and SLNA (19 points). Hà Nội FC recently defeated Công an Hà Nội in the Capital derby and is aiming to reach the top 3. However, SLNA is also in high form with a streak of three consecutive wins to climb to 8th place. Nevertheless, the team from Nghệ region is still considered an unfavorable opponent for Hà Nội FC, having lost 1-3 in the first leg.

On March 14, two more matches will take place. Becamex TP.HCM (15 points) hosts Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh (20 points) in a fairly balanced encounter. The two teams drew in the first leg and their current form is not too different. Still, with home advantage, Becamex TP.HCM aims to secure a win to create a safe distance from the bottom group.

The centerpiece of round 16 is the match between Ninh Bình FC (28 points) and Công an Hà Nội (35 points). After an impressive start, Ninh Bình is declining with four consecutive matches without a win. Conversely, despite recently losing to Hà Nội FC, Công an Hà Nội is still rated higher due to squad strength and experience. This match will also feature two invited Korean referees officiating due to its crucial significance in the championship race.

The last two matches occur on March 15. Công an TP.HCM (23 points) hosts PVF-CAND (11 points) at Thống Nhất Stadium with the goal of maintaining a top 5 position. The visiting team just changed coaches after a series of poor results and is under considerable pressure. Meanwhile at Hàng Đẫy, TCVT (31 points) faces Hải Phòng (21 points). With a strong squad, stable form, and a recent streak of three wins, the home team is rated higher than the representative from the Port city.

HAGL receives unfortunate news just before Round 16 of V-League

Korean referees come to Vietnam to officiate, handling a crucial championship race match in V-League