Advantages of Nam Dinh
Round 21 of V.League 2024-2025 witnessed Nam Dinh club's impressive performance against Hanoi FC. The early "final" match between the two teams takes place according to a scenario that few people think of.
In the first 20 minutes of the match, the team from Thanh Nam controlled the ball for most of the time and created many opportunities for the opponent even though they had to play away.
With the game's overwhelming situation, Nam Dinh easily opened the scoring in the 28th minute from Kevin Pham Ba's goal after a set piece. Before the end of the first half, Ly Cong Hoang Anh and Brener scored to help Nam Dinh take a surprising 3-0 lead.
In the second half, Hanoi adjusted personnel and playing style to find an equalizer. However, due to the tightness of the away team, coach Teguramori's team appeared deadlocked and accepted a 0-3 final defeat.
This result helped Nam Dinh consolidate their top position in the group with 42 points, widening the gap to 5 points compared to Hanoi FC - the second-placed team on the rankings.
With only 5 more matches left, Nam Dinh has a bright chance to defend their title in this year's tournament. In addition to having a squad of quality, outstanding players and stable performance in recent times, objective factors are also supporting coach Vu Hong Viet and his team.
In the remaining rounds, the team from Thanh Nam only had to face weaker teams such as Thanh Hoa, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Song Lam Nghe An, Quang Nam and Hong Linh Ha Tinh.
If anything, Ha Tinh will create some difficulties for Nam Dinh, but that is the last match of the season, so it is likely that the race has "fall" early.
Hanoi, The Cong Viettel chase fiercely
The defeat against Nam Dinh dealt a heavy blow to Hanoi FC's championship ambition after 2 years of "empty-handedness". At this time, the 5-point gap is very difficult to level, especially when the match schedule of the Capital team is at a disadvantage compared to the opponent.
Mr. Teguramori and his team will meet Song Lam Nghe An, Ho Chi Minh City and especially Hanoi Police, The Cong Viettel in the last 2 rounds. Therefore, the pressure on Hanoi FC is huge as the two teams in the same city are also trying to compete for the championship.
Not to mention, through the match against Nam Dinh, Hanoi's problems were also clearly revealed when the young players were still inexperienced, while the pillars showed signs of age and fitness. To ensure the final stage of the V.League, the Japanese coach himself still has a lot of work to do.
Outside of Hanoi, The Cong Viettel is returning to the track. The appearance of coach Velizar Popov helps the former V.League champion become stronger, especially after his impressive debut against Da Nang in round 21.
The Bulgarian strategist himself also attended the match between Nam Dinh and Hanoi to have an overview of the upcoming opponents. This shows the seriousness and ambition of Mr. Popov and The Cong Viettel.
However, in reality, the situation of the championship race is not on their side. If anything, the ranking this season is the motivation for The Cong Viettel to aim for the highest goal in V.League 2025-2026.
