All four remaining matches of Round 23 of the V.League 2025/26 will be played on Sunday (May 17th).
Before the match between Hanoi Police and Thanh Hoa took place in the capital, at Pleiku Stadium, Hoang Anh Gia Lai faced Hong Linh Ha Tinh in a closely contested match between two teams that were both theoretically not yet safe from relegation.
In the previous round, while the team from the mountainous region lost to PVF-CAND at home, Hong Linh Ha Tinh – in the debut match of their new head coach Phan Nhu Thuat – also struggled (losing 0-2) against a superior The Cong team. With fairly similar squads and form, if both teams choose to play cautiously, this match has a high probability of ending in a draw.
The match between PVF-CAND and Hanoi FC is a clash of opposing forces. If the home team wins, it would mean Hanoi FC would lose ground in the race for a top-three finish against Ninh Binh , and conversely, if Hanoi wins, PVF-CAND could face difficulties in the relegation battle.
In the previous round, PVF-CAND took advantage of the opportunity and secured all three points against Hoang Anh Gia Lai's weaker team, while Hanoi FC suddenly suffered a defeat on the Thanh Hoa pitch.
This inconsistent form caused the capital city team to lose the third place they had just taken from Ninh Binh. Nevertheless, Hanoi FC's strength remains a factor that makes them the favorites despite playing away in this match. But as we've mentioned before, bottom-placed teams (those at risk of relegation) often become very dangerous when pushed into a position where they can only move up!
The other two matches are also very exciting. The already-defining Nam Dinh team will face a top contender, The Cong, promising a captivating match with high professional quality.
Both teams boast numerous star players. Although they haven't fully regained their peak form, the Nam Dinh team still deserves to be considered a "challenger" to the title contenders, as they did when they caused a lot of difficulties for Hanoi Police in the last round (losing 2-3 away).
Returning to the "Thien Truong cauldron" will further help Coach Vu Hong Viet's team play better. This will be a 50/50 match with a difficult outcome to predict.
On the same day, Hanoi Police was naturally considered the much stronger team as they hosted Dong A Thanh Hoa, the team that had just caused a surprise by defeating Hanoi FC in round 22.
Dinh Bac's outstanding form (having scored 10 goals in 6 consecutive matches), coupled with the stability of the star-studded squad around him, has made Hanoi Police a clear favorite and virtually unopposed on their path to the championship.
If they win this match, they will naturally be crowned champions three rounds early. If it's a draw, and more than an hour has passed since The Cong failed to beat Nam Dinh, the fighting spirit of the Thanh Hoa players is commendable, but against such an opponent, it will be difficult for the "Thanh Hoa team" to come away with any points.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/cong-an-ha-noi-len-ngoi-v-league.html
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