Huynh Duc leaves his mark on the opening day of V.League

Round 1 of V.League 2025/26 ended with a range of emotions as the rookies created surprises, while the championship candidates had a difficult start.

V.League 2025/26 marks the return of Coach Le Huynh Duc in the HCM City Police uniform. After less than three weeks of taking over, the veteran coach has given the Police team a different look. On the tournament's opening day with a name that evokes the golden memories of city football, HCM City Police defeated Hanoi with an impressive score of 2-1 at Thong Nhat Stadium.

Coach Le Huynh Duc made an impressive return to the V.League on the coaching bench. Photo: Hoang Tung .

Coach Le Huynh Duc’s mark is not only in the opening victory, but also in the way he “unlocked” Nguyen Tien Linh. After a period of stagnation last season, the striker born in 1997 has exploded, becoming a true leader of the attack. His powerful header in the second minute of the match is the clearest proof of that revival.

In addition, coach Le Huynh Duc also boldly gave opportunities to young players such as Duc Phu, Quoc Cuong or Hoang Phuc, thereby bringing freshness to the squad. Even coach Teguramori of Hanoi, after the defeat, had to admit that his opponent deserved to win.

However, the season has just started and CA TP.HCM needs more time for the new players to integrate and for the playing style to become consistent. And this dream start is enough to create a mental boost for the team, nurturing the hope of restoring the pride of the city's football.

If CA TP.HCM attracted attention with its spectacular comeback, Ninh Binh FC brought a breath of fresh air. For the first time participating in V.League, the ancient capital team was not inferior, even overwhelming Ha Tinh right on the away field. The statistics of 59.9% ball possession, 14 shots and nearly 400 accurate passes showed the difference.

Newcomer Ninh Binh FC has a smooth start. Photo: Cao Oanh.

Despite conceding the first goal, the spirit of the heavily invested stars spoke out. Duc Chien equalized, then Quang Nho and Gia Hung completed a convincing 3-1 comeback.

The special thing is that Ninh Binh FC does not completely depend on foreign players, but the national team players and domestic players play an important role in the gameplay. Among them, Hoang Duc, when freed from the role of playmaker to move up, he brought out his creativity well. The most impressive mark was the assist for his teammates to score the decisive victory.

A year ago, Ninh Binh “destroyed” the First Division with an undefeated record, now they continue to bring the feeling of a phenomenon that can make a difference in the highest playground. With a large investment in personnel, this rookie team has enough basis to enter the championship race, and is no longer an unknown after the opening round.

Meanwhile, the championship candidates had a difficult start. Hanoi lost 1-2 to CA TP.HCM, revealing many limitations. Despite setting big goals for the 20th anniversary season and spending heavily on the transfer market, Hanoi FC only used 2 foreign players in the starting lineup, instead of making the most of the 3 allowed slots. This partly reflects the confusion in the process of arranging the force of coach Makoto Teguramori.

The capital team is struggling to regain its original position, but time waits for no one. The pressure of performance and the expectations of fans will certainly become a big challenge for coach Teguramori and his team this season.

CAHN shares points with The Cong Viettel. Photo: Duc Cuong.

CAHN started the game slowly, only able to share points with The Cong Viettel. However, their opponents showed a bright signal with Lucao. Last season's top scorer helped the army team's attack become sharper. But maintaining stability throughout the season is still a question mark for coach Popov's young team.

Defending champions Nam Dinh have yet to reassure their fans. After their defeat in the Super Cup, they were again conceded by Hai Phong and had to rely on Hoang Anh and Kevin Pham Ba to turn the tables in the final minutes.

Overall, the opening round shows that the 2025/26 V.League will not be easy for any candidate. The highly rated clubs are still struggling with personnel and performance. The gap between the top group and the rest is narrowing, and if they do not adapt in time, the big guys will easily be left behind in the fierce race that has just begun.

Source: https://znews.vn/huynh-duc-ghi-dau-an-o-ngay-khai-mac-vleague-post1577900.html