Many V-League "giants" have had a poor start

Although they have a long history of achievements in the V-League, many "giants" have been and are making fans feel disappointed. For the first time since 2016, Hanoi FC has not found any victory in the first 3 rounds, while Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) and Thanh Hoa have become candidates for relegation.

In round 1, the capital team lost to Ho Chi Minh City Police Club, then shared points at home with HAGL - the club considered the weakest in the tournament. Not stopping there, in the "capital derby" in round 3, coach Teguramori Makoto's team was defeated by Hanoi Police Club. Hanoi Club extended their winless streak to 3 matches, and recorded their worst start in the past 9 years.

Thanh Hoa FC once set a record of winning the National Cup for two consecutive seasons but also had unpredictable difficulties at the beginning of this season. After parting ways with coach Popov, the Thanh team's performance has clearly declined. Through the first three rounds of V-League, Thanh Hoa FC showed a lackluster performance in both tactics and cohesion.

Nhiều — Hanoi FC disappointed with a poor start in V-League 2025-2026. (Photo: VFF)

It is worth mentioning that Coach Choi Won-kwon is an experienced strategist with high professional qualifications in Asia but seems to be stuck in promoting the team's fighting spirit. Mr. Choi's students are at the bottom of the rankings, having conceded 6 goals, scored only 1 goal in 3 matches and earned only 1 point.

Statistics show that Thanh Hoa FC does not have a stable playing squad when key players are injured or not in the best physical condition. They are slow to catch up with the game in a defensive stance, so they easily lose the game and concede the first goal from near the end of the first half, beginning of the second half.

In the same situation, HAGL Club is considered to be a candidate with a very high risk of relegation when standing second to last in the rankings with only 1 point after 3 rounds. If it were not for the excellence of goalkeeper Trung Kien in the draw with Hanoi FC in round 2, the mountain town team could even become the only club to have lost all since the beginning of the new season.

This season, HAGL Club continues to use the group of young players promoted to the first team. To create "sticking points" in the tactical diagram, Coach Le Quang Trai spread foreign players in all 3 lines, including: center back Jairo Rodrigues, midfielder Marciel Silva and striker Gabriel Conceicao. However, because of proactively playing defensive counter-attacks, HAGL became the only team that has not scored since the beginning of the tournament.

The current HAGL Club's squad has an average level of expertise. Therefore, if they are not reinforced in the near future, the Pleiku home team will not only have difficulty completing the goal of entering the top 6 but may also have to accept relegation.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nhieu-dai-gia-v-league-khoi-dau-kem-coi-196250831214814555.htm