Still fiercely competing for the Top 3 and avoiding relegation.

VHO - The LPBank V.League 2025/26 has found its champion with three rounds remaining. A 2-0 victory against Dong A Thanh Hoa at Hang Day Stadium on the evening of May 17th secured a convincing win for CAHN, concluding a championship race that had been virtually decided several rounds earlier.

However, even though the championship title has already gone to coach Alexandre Polking's team, the rest of the season is far from over. The competition for the Top 3, Top 5, and especially the relegation battle is becoming increasingly intense, with the gap between teams remaining very narrow.

CAHN secured the championship three rounds early, but the V.League still has many exciting races ahead.

In the pouring rain at Hang Day Stadium, CAHN secured an emotional victory against Thanh Hoa to clinch the championship early. The turning point came in the 88th minute when Dinh Bac earned a penalty, and Alan calmly converted it to open the scoring. Taking advantage of the opponent's attacking push, Rogerio Alves sealed the 2-0 win, giving CAHN a convincing title with 60 points, 11 points ahead of the second-placed team.

Behind the champions, The Cong has reason to regret. Coach Velizar Popov's team was playing very well in the final stages of the season. The 2-0 victory at Thien Truong Stadium against Nam Dinh was proof of the clear progress of the military team. However, mistakes in the first half of the season allowed CAHN to pull too far ahead. Their efforts to accelerate in the final stretch came too late, as the gap was insurmountable.

Nevertheless, The Cong still holds a significant advantage in the race for second place. With 49 points, they are 5 points ahead of Ninh Binh and 7 points ahead of Hanoi FC. Theoretically, this is a fairly safe lead. However, the schedule for the last three rounds presents Coach Popov's team with many challenges. They will face PVF CAND, CATP. HCM, and CAHN respectively.

Ninh Binh is currently the most notable phenomenon in the race for the Top 3. Their 2-1 victory against SLNA at Vinh Stadium showed that the team from the ancient capital not only has ambition but also resilience. Ninh Binh's commendable quality lies in their tenacity. They are no longer just an interesting phenomenon but are gradually showing the characteristics of a truly ambitious team. Under the guidance of Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh, Ninh Binh plays more pragmatically, more solidly, and knows how to overcome tense matches. Their remaining schedule includes matches against CATP.HCM, Thanh Hoa, and Hong Linh Ha Tinh .

Hanoi FC has not given up hope of winning a medal. Their 4-0 victory against PVF CAND away from home was a strong affirmation of their strength. Notably, Hanoi FC won convincingly despite missing several key players like Hoang Hen and Hai Long. Coach Harry Kewell still had experienced players like Van Quyet, Tuan Hai, and Van Tung at his disposal to maintain their attacking prowess and competitive spirit.

Although the chances of competing for second place are slim, a top 3 finish remains a realistic goal for Hanoi FC. The final three matches against Nam Dinh, HAGL, and Ho Chi Minh City Police all present significant challenges, but their experience in the long run could be a major advantage for the six-time V.League champions.

Besides the medal race, the competition for a Top 5 spot is also noteworthy. Ho Chi Minh City Police currently sits in 5th place with 33 points, but Hai Phong and Nam Dinh are only 2 points behind. For Ho Chi Minh City Police, a Top 5 position is crucial in terms of image, confidence, and development direction after several seasons of instability. However, coach Phung Thanh Phuong and his team will have to work very hard if they want to defend their current position.

Hai Phong is playing with great enthusiasm in the final stages of the season. Their 4-2 victory against Becamex Ho Chi Minh City at Lach Tray Stadium showed that the team from the port city still possesses a strong fighting spirit and the ability to perform explosively at home. Meanwhile, Nam Dinh, despite falling behind in the championship race, still has a quality squad to accelerate in the final three rounds. If Xuan Son rediscovers his goal-scoring form, the Nam Dinh team could very well return to the Top 5 race.

At the bottom of the table, the situation is even more tense. PVF CAND returned to last place with 17 points after their defeat against Hanoi FC. SHB Da Nang also has 17 points but is temporarily ahead thanks to their head-to-head record after a valuable 2-2 draw against Ho Chi Minh City Police. With only 3 rounds remaining in the season, every point can decide the fate of a team.

The pressure isn't just on PVF CAND or SHB Da Nang. Becamex Ho Chi Minh City and HAGL also can't rest easy. Becamex Ho Chi Minh City continued to disappoint with a 2-4 loss to Hai Phong. New coach Hua Hien Vinh has yet to bring about significant changes, while the attack lacks effectiveness and the foreign players haven't met expectations.

HAGL also put themselves in a difficult position after their 0-2 defeat against Hong Linh Ha Tinh right in Pleiku. The team from the mountainous region had hoped to officially secure their survival in the league with a victory in round 23, especially after proactively rotating their squad in the previous round. However, the loss against Coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team means HAGL is still not safe. The 5-point gap with the bottom group is an advantage, but not enough for the team owned by Chairman Duc to feel secure when there are still 9 maximum points left in the season.

The V.League 2025/26 therefore still holds much to look forward to in its final three rounds. CAHN has already been crowned champions, but the tournament is far from over emotionally. Behind the champions lies a battle for honor, ambition, and survival. The top three are still wide open for The Cong, Ninh Binh, and Hanoi FC. The top five is a fierce competition between CATP.HCM, Hai Phong, and Nam Dinh. And at the bottom, just one loss could completely overturn all calculations.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/van-ruc-lua-o-cuoc-dua-top-3-va-tru-hang-229755.html