Round 21 V.League: Heading to the Capital

3 matches of round 21 of V.League 2024/25 will be held today, May 4. Quy Nhon Binh Dinh (currently ranked second to last) will have to aim to at least get points when meeting Hoang Anh Gia Lai at home. With only 2 points more than SHB Da Nang, the team from the land of Vo will be forced to consider each upcoming match as a final if they do not want to fall to the bottom of the table (which means receiving a direct relegation ticket). Although being underestimated, the fact that they held Hoang Anh Gia Lai to a draw in the first leg right in Pleiku shows that anything can happen in this match, once Binh Dinh is almost at the wall.

Dong A Thanh Hoa will also be determined to win when meeting Ho Chi Minh City at home. It seems that the Thanh team has not yet found stability under the leadership of new "captain" Steinbruckner. The two opposite results in the last two matches: Winning 3-1 at home against The Cong and then losing 0-1 to the bottom team Da Nang at away field is a proof.

Returning to their home field is an opportunity for them to aim for 3 points, thereby maintaining their hope of returning to the top 3 at the end of the tournament. No one doubts that Thanh Hoa is rated higher at the moment, so coach Phung Thanh Phuong and his team will probably aim for points, similar to the result in the first leg at Thong Nhat Stadium.

The focus of attention in round 21 will be the confrontation at Hang Day Stadium between Hanoi FC (37 points, temporarily ranked 2nd) and the defending champion Thep Xanh Nam Dinh (leading the table). Although it was relatively slow to "warm up", Hanoi FC has returned in time, especially since being led by new head coach Makoto, the capital's football representative has played very steadily, thereby regaining the motivation to compete for the championship.

Their opponents are even more determined to defend their “throne”. They have also gone through difficult days without the services of the “killer” duo Xuan Son – Van Toan due to injuries. However, coach Vu Hong Viet and his team have gradually overcome the challenges (especially when other opponents are also unstable), retaking the top spot.

Van Toan's high performance right after his return further motivated the team from Thanh Nam in the decisive stage. The club's announcement that it would organize a convoy of cars for fans to go to Hanoi to cheer for the match (likened to "an early final") made the atmosphere before the big match even hotter.

If they win this match, the capital team will not only reclaim the "debt" from the first leg (lost 1-2) but also temporarily take the top spot in the group. On the contrary, if they win, Nam Dinh will widen the gap to 5 points with their direct competitor to dream of the championship.

Extremely exciting, attractive and truly unpredictable! This key match will also be officiated by the main referee and VAR referee, FIFA Malaysia. This is the 4th match in V.League 2024/25 that the Organizing Committee has invited a foreign referee to officiate.

The latest match of this round between Quang Nam and Cong An Ha Noi will take place on Monday (May 5) at Tam Ky Stadium. Before the tournament, Quang Nam was placed in the group with "risk of relegation", but coach Van Sy Son and his team have gradually overcome difficulties to aim for relegation. On that journey, they have had surprising results, including a 4-4 score at Hang Day Stadium in the first leg against Cong An Ha Noi.

Meanwhile, the fact that they are always a championship candidate with a strong force but are losing ground in the race for the top 3 is truly a sad reality for coach Polking and his team. Their timely compensation is a ticket to the final of the Southeast Asian C1 Cup after defeating PSM Makassar (Indonesia). Although the Hanoi Police team is rated slightly higher, with home field advantage, Quang Nam will continue to aim for points!

Tuan Ngoc

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/vong-21-vleague-huong-ve-thu-do-post547338.html