V-League: Attractive police industry derby

Hanoi Police Club will host Ho Chi Minh City Police Team at 7:15 p.m. on October 27 (FPT Play) which is the first police derby in V-League after nearly 13 years.

The highlight match of round 8 of V-League between Hanoi Police Club and Ho Chi Minh City Police Club evoked heroic memories of Vietnamese professional football in the 80s and 90s of the last century.

Top 3 Competition

The two police teams are currently tied at 14 points, but Hanoi Police Club is temporarily ranked third on the rankings thanks to a better sub-index than Ho Chi Minh City Police and having played one less match. With home field advantage and a highly qualified force, Hanoi Police Club is considered to be slightly better.

Hanoi Police Club participated in 4 tournaments (V-League, National Cup, AFC Champions League Two, Southeast Asia Cup C1) so this season, they invested heavily in human resources. Not only possessing many talented domestic players, the team also has a high-class foreign squad spread across all lines. Hanoi Police Club is one of 3 undefeated teams in V-League this season, scoring a total of 13 goals, conceding 5 times after 6 matches.

Foreign duo Alan Alexandre and Artur de Melo of Hanoi Police Club are leading the "Top scorer" list with 6 and 5 goals respectively. In AFC Champions League II, the team also has a good chance to enter the knockout round when demonstrating a modern, diverse and highly effective attacking style.

The stable performance in the early stages of the season has strengthened the position of Hanoi Police Club as a candidate for the V-League championship. However, when having to play on many fronts with high frequency, the Hang Day team also has difficulty in rotating the squad. Many key players such as Quang Hai, Van Thanh, Viet Anh, Dinh Trong, Van Duc or Van Hau... have suffered or are suffering from persistent injuries due to continuous competition, having to stay away from the field for a long time.

This becomes an advantage for the HCM City Police Club in their trip to Hang Day Stadium. Coach Le Huynh Duc's team does not have enough potential to compete for the domestic championship title this season but has shown progress and improvement compared to last season.

Ho Chi Minh City Police Club can hardly compare with the star-studded lineup of the home team Hanoi Police. However, in the last 5 encounters between the two teams since 2023, Ho Chi Minh City Police Club (formerly known as Ho Chi Minh City Club) has won 2 and lost 2. This season, the home team Thong Nhat Stadium, led by coach Le Huynh Duc, has won 4 and drawn 2 after 7 matches in the V-League. It is difficult to win against a formidable opponent like Hanoi Police Club, but the goal of getting points in the 8th match is within reach of Ho Chi Minh City Police Club.

Ho Chi Minh City Police Club is expected to recreate the dramatic derby with Hanoi Police Club. (Photo: THAO HOANG)

Rekindle memories

In the flow of history, two once-famous names of Vietnamese professional football were "revived" one after another. In 2023, Hanoi Police Club set a record milestone when it was promoted to two levels in two years and simultaneously crowned the V-League champion. Since then, the team has been heavily invested in, becoming a new force in the domestic tournament.

Before the 2025-2026 season, Ho Chi Minh City Club was transferred and renamed Ho Chi Minh City Police. The Thong Nhat Stadium team has a new name but there is not much change in the force, on the coaching bench are famous names of the past such as: Head coach Le Huynh Duc and assistants Phung Thanh Phuong, Hoang Hung, Chau Tri Cuong.

At present, the police derby is no longer as "hot" as before. However, as someone who has experienced dramatic matches at Hang Day and Thong Nhat stadiums, legend Le Huynh Duc is expected to help his students at the Ho Chi Minh City Police Club have a much-anticipated encounter with the Hanoi Police team.

At 6 p.m. the same day, Nam Dinh FC will host Da Nang FC at Thien Truong Stadium (FPT Play). This is an opportunity for the reigning V-League champion to win after replacing the head coach.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/v-league-hap-dan-tran-derby-nganh-cong-an-196251026214814571.htm