In round 1 of V.League 2025-2026, in addition to the match of championship candidates such as Hanoi Police, The Cong Viettel, Hanoi or Nam Dinh... attention is also paid to Ninh Binh Club on the day of returning to V.League.
The reason that the ancient capital team received great attention came from the fact that they did not regret the bold hands to bring the expensive contracts in the transfer market, including quality internal soldiers such as Nguyen Duc Chien (Cong Cong Viettel), Chau Ngoc Quang, Tran Bao Toan, Quang Nho (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) ... or overseas Vietnamese star Nguyen Do (Tran Thanh Trung) - adult from Slavia Sofia (Bulgaria).
Before the V.League started, fans were concerned that combining a series of new stars with the old squad, especially those who had just joined the team for a short time, always poses risks to integration and cohesion. In addition, new coach Gerard Albadajelo also needs time to convey the style of play and build identity for the team.
However, putting aside the doubts, Ninh Binh had a smooth opening match against Hong Linh Ha Tinh with a 3-1 victory, despite having to play away in unfavorable conditions and weather.
In fact, Ninh Binh started the game quite slowly and conceded a goal in the 34th minute after a small mistake by Dang Van Lam. However, they still calmly deployed the ball, regained the initiative and successfully turned the ball back.
Ninh Binh FC's bright spot lies in their ability to take advantage of set pieces well. In a free kick from the home team, Duc Chien scored an equalizer 1-1 with a rebound after the opposing goalkeeper pushed the ball out. This shows the observation skills, positioning selection and acumen in the penalty area of the 1998-born midfielder.
In the 89th minute, Dung Quang Nho shone with a neat control before finishing to increase the score to 2-1.
More notably, the goal that sealed the 3-1 victory appeared in the extra time, showing great efforts of the away team. Midfielder Hoang Duc handled the technique in the middle of the opponent's surrounding and then sent a delicate pass to Gia Hung. This player passed the ball over the goalkeeper beautifully, ending the day impressively.
It should be added that Hong Linh Ha Tinh is not an easy opponent, especially when they play at home.
In addition to the results, what satisfies fans is the even contribution from individuals. In particular, Chung Nguyen Do only entered the field from the 77th minute but also made his mark with a pass that opened up the opportunity to attack.
Although he has not directly scored, the Vietnamese midfielder's intelligence in movement and good tactical vision have received compliments from senior Hoang Duc.
"This was Trung's first match, although he entered the field in more than the last 20 minutes, he performed very well. At the same time, the foreign players are all very quality players brought in by the board. I would like to thank the overseas Vietnamese and foreign players for contributing a very good match".
At this time, it is still too early to make a comprehensive assessment, but what coach Gerard Albadajelo and his team showed in the opening match shows that they are ready to become a "dark horse" this season.
