The 'judgment day' for the V-League.

On May 17th, Round 23 of the V-League 2025-2026 continued with exciting matches that directly impacted three races: the championship, the top three, and relegation.

NO WAY BACK

The courageous 2-2 draw between Da Nang FC and Ho Chi Minh City Police FC on May 15th sent PVF-CAND back to the bottom of the table. Coach Tran Tien Dai's team has the same 17 points as Da Nang FC but is ranked lower due to an inferior goal difference. A draw against Hanoi FC (6 PM today) would put PVF-CAND up the table, but this is not an easy task. In the previous round, they won at Pleiku Stadium against HAGL, giving them more confidence for the remainder of their V-League campaign; but this time the challenge is much greater. While HAGL no longer has any goals to strive for, Hanoi FC is still desperate for points to compete for third place with Ninh Binh FC. In terms of squad strength, Coach Harry Kewell's team is naturally considered stronger than the team from the mountainous region.

Will Ly Duc (right) be able to help PVF-CAND escape the bottom of the table?

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Do Hoang Hen, currently the most in-form player for Hanoi FC, also has added motivation to shine. Born on May 16, 1994, he certainly wants to celebrate his birthday with three points, a goal, or an assist. Hoang Hen also needs more goals to compete with Nguyen Dinh Bac in the race for the top domestic scorer title. And undoubtedly, Hoang Hen is the name that PVF-CAND must pay special attention to. If they can neutralize this star, the chances of Pham Ly Duc and his teammates getting points will be much brighter.

C. WELCOMING THE NEW KING?

At 7:15 PM, Hanoi Police FC (CAHN) will host Thanh Hoa FC. If coach Alexandre Polking's team wins, Hang Day Stadium will be a place to celebrate. In that case, CAHN FC would still be at least 11 points ahead of second-placed The Cong Viettel , securing the championship three rounds before the end of the season. Currently, it's difficult to stop Quang Hai and his teammates from cruising towards the finish line. They are maintaining an 8-match unbeaten streak, including 7 wins. The injury to their main striker, Alan Grafite (leading the top scorer list with 14 goals), and his current form isn't a problem for CAHN FC. Dinh Bac has scored 10 goals in 6 consecutive matches, becoming the spearhead of the attack, alongside a quality supporting cast. This stability in both playing style and mentality makes the police team virtually unbeatable in this crucial stage of the season.

Despite their surprising victory over Hanoi FC in round 22, Thanh Hoa is still considered significantly weaker in terms of both squad strength and form in today's match. The Thanh Hoa team will undoubtedly enter the game with high determination, but stopping Hanoi FC at this point will be an extremely difficult task. Even though coach Polking received three yellow cards and was sent off, the home team still holds the upper hand.

The remaining two matches, while not significantly impacting the V-League standings, also hold their own appeal. New head coach Phan Như Thuật will undoubtedly want to secure three points with Hà Tĩnh FC when they visit HAGL (5 PM). In his debut match with the team from Hồng Mountain, he and his players suffered a 0-2 defeat against Thể Công Viettel. Given the current strength and form of the two teams (only two points apart), this is likely to be a closely contested match, with caution being paramount.

At 6 PM, the two "giants," Nam Dinh FC and The Cong Viettel, will face each other at Thien Truong Stadium. Both teams boast star players, promising exciting football for the fans. The important thing is that both teams need to give their all and maintain their form until the end of the season, as they both still have a chance to compete for the National Cup having reached the semi-finals.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngay-phan-quyet-cua-v-league-185260516202953945.htm