Who has the power to overthrow CAHN Club?

With the 2025/26 V.League season halfway through, The Cong-Viettel Club has emerged as a strong challenger to CAHN in the championship race.

CAHN is the top contender for the championship.

The race for the V.League 2025/26 championship is becoming increasingly clear-cut. Teams once considered strong contenders, such as Nam Dinh, Hanoi FC, and even Ninh Binh, are showing signs of decline after 14 rounds. In this context, CAHN has solidified its lead, while The Cong- Viettel has become the most significant pursuer.

The "dark horse" ran out of steam, the king lost his position.

Before round 12, Ninh Binh FC gave the impression of being an unstoppable "phenomenon." They played explosively, consistently winning points and at times creating a safe distance from the chasing pack. However, a recent streak of three consecutive losses has brought this newcomer back down to earth.

In round 14, Ninh Binh FC led defending champions Nam Dinh by two goals but still squandered their advantage. That scenario was repeated against CAHN. The problem for this team isn't their ability to pull ahead, but their composure to maintain their lead under pressure. A 7-point gap with CAHN isn't huge in theory, but with their current slump, the risk of an early relegation is quite real.

Nam Dinh, the two-time consecutive champions, are also virtually out of contention. Halfway through the season, they trail CAHN by 20 points and have played one more game. Despite a remarkable comeback victory against Ninh Binh, their chances of defending the title are now only on paper. To equalize the points, they would need CAHN to stumble repeatedly while they themselves win all their matches. That scenario is unlikely.

Xuan Son just scored a goal for Nam Dinh FC against Ninh Binh.

Hanoi FC, a club with a rich tradition and financial resources, also hasn't shown enough consistency to compete. They are 14 points behind and have played one more game.

More importantly, the capital city team has failed to win against direct rivals like CAHN, Nam Dinh, or The Cong since the beginning of the season. Only securing points against lower-ranked teams makes it difficult for Hanoi to make a breakthrough in the crucial stages.

CAHN is solid, but The Cong still has many unanswered questions.

After 13 matches, CAHN is the only undefeated team. Coach Mano Polking's squad has won their last 7 consecutive matches in the V.League. Despite being eliminated early from the National Cup, the Southeast Asian Club Championship, and the AFC Champions League, the police force team is now focusing solely on the domestic league.

Quang Hai and his teammates have a clear objective: to avoid a trophyless season. The V.League has become their only stepping stone to achieving their ambitions.

With a 7-point lead over The Cong-Viettel and a game in hand, CAHN could extend their lead to 10 points if they beat Da Nang in their rescheduled match. In that case, the balance of the race would almost certainly shift.

CAHN is too strong at the moment.

In the current picture, The Cong-Viettel is the only team in a position to put pressure on CAHN. The 7-point gap still allows them to harbor hope. However, the fixture list is not in favor of the military team, as the direct confrontation between the two teams takes place in round 26, the final round of the season. This means The Cong-Vittel has little chance of determining their own fate.

Besides the points tally, The Cong-Viettel's performance hasn't been entirely convincing. The team has faltered several times in crucial stages in the past. Coach Popov made his mark at Thanh Hoa with strong starts, but the Thanh Hoa team slowed down in the final stages. Maintaining consistency remains a major challenge for this strategist.

Popov has a highly ambitious team with a strong physical foundation. However, to overcome CAHN, The Cong-Viettel needs more than that. They must improve their ability to maintain their advantage, make the most of matches against lower-ranked teams, and avoid making mistakes at crucial moments.

The V.League 2025/26 season is still halfway through. Theoretically, the championship race is not over yet. But with CAHN's current form and high determination, their top spot is being solidified round by round. Unless there is an unexpected slip-up from Coach Polking's team, the chances of a change of position at the finish line are very low.

The Công-Viettel team may be the biggest challenge remaining. However, to turn hope into reality, Coach Popov and his players need to overcome their own limitations. The race is not over, but time is not on the side of those who lag behind.

Source: https://znews.vn/ai-du-suc-lat-do-clb-cahn-post1631541.html