The top is taking shape, but there's no way out yet.

VHO - Round 21 of the LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 concluded with a growing sense of "stratification," with the top group gradually moving towards a stable order, while the bottom half remains a whirlwind of survival races.

Báo Văn Hóa•06/05/2026

The top is taking shape, but there's no exit yet - image 1

The V.League title race is nearing its end, but the bottom of the table remains volatile.

At the top, Hanoi Police (CAHN) continues its winning streak to consolidate its lead. Further down the table, the race for the top three is volatile, with Hanoi FC surging ahead and pushing Ninh Binh down one step. At the bottom, every point becomes a "life-or-death asset," and seemingly minor details like yellow cards or VAR decisions can change the course of the entire season.

After 21 rounds, CAHN leads with 54 points and a goal difference of +33 (50 goals scored, 17 goals conceded), 11 points ahead of second-placed The Cong. This gap is particularly significant with only 5 rounds remaining; in a long-distance race, this is enough of a lead for the top team to "settle their own fate," while the rest must win consecutively and hope their rivals slip up.

A specific scenario was posed: if CAHN won two more matches, they would reach 60 points and potentially clinch the championship early, because even if The Cong won all five remaining rounds, they could only reach a maximum of 58 points. This is not to mention the possibility of an even earlier championship win if CAHN continued to secure three points while The Cong failed to win in the next round.

In terms of form, CAHN enters the final stretch with rare consistency. Statistics show that in their last 6 matches, CAHN has won 16 out of a possible 18 points, dropping points only once – a pace sufficient to turn any pursuit into a "chasing after the back" scenario.

It's worth noting that CAHN is strong not only in terms of points but also in its squad structure and depth. Experts analyze that the police force's team possesses many national and U23 players, and maintains stability on the coaching bench under coach Mano Polking. In a tournament where there are frequent variables regarding squads, schedules, and suspensions, this stability is the team's greatest asset in the championship race.

Based on the fixture list, Round 22 could be a pivotal round of the season as CAHN will host Nam Định at Hàng Đẫy Stadium on the evening of May 10th. If CAHN wins and favorable point conditions are met (especially if Thể Công doesn't win), an early championship victory is entirely possible.

Conversely, The Cong showed signs of faltering, consistently dropping points (a 1-1 draw against Ninh Binh in round 21). In the championship race, there are times when points are not just a number, but a matter of "psychology." When the gap widens, every draw for the chasing team feels like a defeat.

While the championship story is gradually finding its "answer," the 2025/26 V-League is entering its most exciting phase: the battle to avoid relegation. The top spot is almost decided, but the question of direct relegation and the play-off spots remains unresolved.

According to this analysis, the relegation battle is narrowing around five clubs: Thanh Hoa, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, HAGL, PVF-CAND, andSHB Da Nang. The common thread among this group is that the point difference isn't too large, and there are still many direct confrontations in the remaining fixtures – meaning just one "six-point" match could change the standings of the entire group.

At the bottom of the table, the two teams most frequently mentioned are PVF-CAND and SHB Da Nang. Both PVF-CAND and Da Nang have only won two matches since the start of the season, constantly alternating between the last two positions, and their battle is the most intense in the lower group.

Although some argue that the relegation battle is "entwined" among five teams, many experts emphasize that, theoretically, many teams in the bottom half are not yet 100% safe, especially those with 24 points or less.

The difference between the two perspectives lies in their approach: one looks at the actual "vortex" of the relegation zone, while the other issues a warning based on the remaining points. However, they both agree on one point: SHB Da Nang is at the biggest disadvantage, forced to rely on themselves in crucial matches.

In Round 22, SHB Da Nang will play a crucial match against Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, a game that truly deserves to be described as a "six-point" game. In the same round, PVF-CAND will face HAGL – another match that could change the course of the race, as the losing team could be dragged further into the relegation zone.

Looking at the bigger picture, the remainder of the season will be "scorching hot" with direct confrontations between teams battling to avoid relegation. In this context, the concept of a "relegation battle" is no longer an exaggeration, but rather reflects the essence of those last five rounds: each match could be a turning point – either saving a team or dragging them closer to the Championship.

Interestingly, even with the championship race heavily favoring CAHN, the league hasn't become dull. On the contrary, the V-League has entered a phase where fans can observe two very different currents. The first belongs to CAHN – a team that feels "unstoppable," stable enough and deep enough to aim for an early championship. The second belongs to the bottom group – where every calculation leaves no room for error, a win could mean the entire season, and a loss could trigger a series of psychological consequences that are difficult to recover from.

Therefore, if we had to choose one sentence to describe the V-League after round 21, it would probably be that the top spot might soon be decided, but the most exciting part lies in the relegation battle. And it is precisely there that the V-League maintains its intensity - not just through goals, but through the "moments of destiny" in the final five rounds.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/tren-dinh-hinh-duoi-chua-co-loi-ra-225226.html