"Rookie" shines on V-League debut

At the end of round 1 of V-League 2025-2026, championship candidates such as Hanoi FC, Hanoi Police, The Cong Viettel had a rough start, but the "newbies" shined with 3 full points. The unexpected results in round 1 also made the tournament more attractive and interesting.

Ninh Binh Club makes an impression

Despite having to play away, Ninh Binh Club still won convincingly 3-1 against "tough" opponent Hong Linh Ha Tinh Club on the opening day of V-League 2025-2026. The ancient capital Hoa Lu team was better than the opponent in terms of ball control and number of shots on goal, but got 3 points in the end thanks to the brilliance of expensive stars.

As usual, Hong Linh Ha Tinh FC took advantage of their home field to start the match with a quick rhythm. Coach Nguyen Cong Manh's team used their signature defensive counterattack to limit the opponent's ability to attack. The slow and steady playing strategy helped Hong Linh Ha Tinh FC open the scoring in the 34th minute. However, the V-League "newbie" is not a team that gives up easily, Hoang Duc and his teammates tightened their formation, quickly put pressure on the opponent's field and found the equalizer just a few minutes later.

Ninh Binh Club (left) won on the opening day of V-League 2025-2026. Photo: VPF

With a core force of many national players, Ninh Binh Club deployed more diverse attacking strategies than the home team. The central midfielder duo Hoang Duc - Duc Chien excellently completed the task of controlling the midfield, attacking and defending steadily, helping Ninh Binh Club control the game.

While the foreign players have not yet integrated into the general playing style, the tactics of coach Albadalejo Castano Gerard were operated smoothly thanks to the experienced domestic players playing in the V-League. After Duc Chien scored the equalizer, Dung Quang Nho and Pham Gia Hung scored to seal the victory in the final minutes of the match.

Despite having the first victory on the day of returning to V-League, experts commented that Ninh Binh Club needs to improve its attacking ability and be more meticulous in finishing. This season, Mr. Albadalejo and his team aim to compete for the championship of domestic tournaments, but need to know how to effectively utilize foreign resources to realize their ambitions.

PVF-CAND creates first shock

Similar to Ninh Binh Club, PVF-CAND Club also made an impression with a victory on the opening day of V-League 2025-2026. Notably, PVF-CAND's loser was a team with a rich tradition - Song Lam Nghe An Club.

PVF-CAND FC participated in V-League as a replacement for Quang Nam FC. Due to the lack of time to prepare a strong squad, the Hung Yen team was underestimated and at risk of relegation. However, the excellent performance at home on August 17 gave football experts a completely new perspective on the V-League "rookie" team.

Coach Thach Bao Khanh showed his strategic talent when creating perfect pieces in the PVF-CAND Club's lineup. The playing identity of PVF-CAND Club has not yet been clearly defined, but Coach Thach Bao Khanh's team knows how to seize opportunities to decide the game.

Facing a strong opponent, PVF-CAND Club proactively defended tightly, under the direction of goalkeeper Phi Minh Long. After the opponent got carried away with the attack, the home team organized a reasonable counter-attack and took advantage of the scoring skills of two famous foreign strikers Amalrido and Mpande to win 2-1.

With only 2 weeks to prepare for the V-League, PVF-CAND Club still has some problems with coordination. However, the victory on the opening day of the tournament will motivate Mr. Thach Bao Khanh and his team to be more excited and stronger in the journey to stay in the V-League, and can even enter the top 5 if they can maintain their peak performance.

After round 1, Hanoi FC disappointed with a "blank hand" on the trip to Thong Nhat Stadium. Ho Chi Minh City Police Club and Becamex Ho Chi Minh City created surprises with convincing victories over strong teams, temporarily leading the rankings with 3 points each.