V-League gradually separates groups

Round 5 of V-League 2025 - 2026 ended on September 28 with dramatic matches. The championship candidates gradually emerged after the rankings were divided into groups.

Although Ninh Binh FC had their winning streak interrupted, they still lead the rankings thanks to a better secondary index than Hanoi Police and Ho Chi Minh City Police. The top 3 are 2 points ahead of the chasing group. Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa, Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Becamex TP HCM are at risk of relegation as they are constantly in the bottom group.

The defending champion is disappointing.

Despite their success in the international arena, Nam Dinh FC has been disappointing in the V-League this season. Coach Vu Hong Viet's team continues to lose to direct competitors for the "throne". After 6 matches, the team from the South has lost to Song Lam Nghe An, Ninh Binh and Cong An Ha Noi.

The poor performance at Thien Truong Stadium on September 28th showed the fluctuating form of coach Vu Hong Viet and his team. Although Nam Dinh has the best foreign players in the domestic league, they still had to accept a 0-2 defeat against Hanoi Police.

Ninh Binh Club (right) is leading the V-League 2025 - 2026 rankings after 5 rounds. Photo: VPF

Nam Dinh's diverse attacking style is no longer sharp because they lost key strikers Nguyen Xuan Son and Nguyen Van Toan. Statistics of the match in round 5 show that the home team at Thien Truong Stadium had 9 shots but did not hit the target once.

Experts predict that Nam Dinh will return to the race from the second leg of the season. At this time, the team welcomes the return of a series of key players who are in the treatment phase for injuries, especially Nguyen Xuan Son, the "soul" of the attacking line of the reigning V-League champions.

The "three-horse" race is revealed

Ninh Binh continues their winning streak in the V-League with 4 wins and 1 draw in a winning position. The team from the ancient capital Hoa Lu has had an excellent start in the V-League this season and their squad has not been damaged by injuries after 5 rounds.

If Ninh Binh maintains its top form, Hanoi Police will become a worthy opponent to compete for the top spot. The police team has to compete in 4 arenas but still has 13 points to enter the top 2 of the rankings. Notably, the attack of Mr. Polking and his team is quite effective, with 12 goals after 5 matches played.

In the current "Top scorer" list, striker Alan is temporarily leading with 6 goals, 2 more than his teammate Artur. Alan was also the "Top scorer" of V-League last season, making a great contribution to helping Hanoi Police win the runner-up position of the 2024 - 2025 Southeast Asian Cup C1.

Also with 13 points and in the top 3 of the rankings, Ho Chi Minh City Police Club has become an "unknown factor" in V-League 2025 - 2026. However, coach Le Huynh Duc's team still needs to tighten the squad and improve their defense when they still revealed shortcomings that led to goals conceded in the victory over Song Lam Nghe An in round 5 on September 28.

On September 29, the General Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) affirmed that FIFA's disciplinary action only targets individual players and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), and does not directly affect the Malaysian team. Accordingly, the Malaysian team will not be suspended from international competitions and will not be penalized for losing matches in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/v-league-dan-tach-nhom-196250929213801437.htm