defending champion Nam Dinh is having a bad start to the season. They have played 5 matches, 1 match more than some other teams, but have only won 7 points. Coach Vu Hong Viet's team has lost 2 matches since the beginning of the tournament, both against opponents who are considered weaker than them, Song Lam Nghe An and Ninh Binh.
Meanwhile, Hanoi Police played more impressively. After 4 matches, Hanoi Police have won 10 points, thereby ranking 2nd on the rankings before round 5 started. They can take the lead if they defeat Nam Dinh, and Ninh Binh loses to Hai Phong.
In terms of current performance and psychology, Hanoi Police is rated higher than Nam Dinh. In addition to playing well in the V.League, coach Alexander Polking's team also impressed in the continental playground. They drew with Beijing Guoan (China) in the AFC Champions League Two and beat Cebu (Philippines) in the Southeast Asian Cup C1.
As for Nam Dinh, they just defeated Svay Rieng (Cambodia) in the Southeast Asian Cup C1. But this was a hard-fought victory for Nam Dinh. Their form still does not make home fans feel secure. In that context, meeting Hanoi Police is a big challenge for Nam Dinh.
Regarding the force, Hanoi Police are likely to not have the services of Quang Hai and Viet Anh due to injuries. Meanwhile, Nam Dinh has a more complete squad and plays at home.
However, in terms of head-to-head record, Hanoi Police is superior. They have won 2 and drawn 1 of their last 3 matches against Nam Dinh. In the Super Cup match at the beginning of this season, Hanoi Police beat Nam Dinh 3-2 at Thien Truong Stadium.
The match between Nam Dinh and Hanoi Police will take place at 6:00 p.m. on September 28.
Expected lineup:
Nam Dinh: Nguyen Manh, Van Toi, Van Vi, Thanh Hao, Pham Ba, Hoang Anh, A Mit, Caio, Romulo, Van Dat, Brenner.
Hanoi Police: Nguyen Filip, Dinh Trong, Ly Duc, Mauk, Le Van Do, Pendant Quang Vinh, Thanh Long, Alan, Nguyen Van Duc, Leo Artur, Dinh Bac.
Score prediction: Nam Dinh 1-2 Hanoi Police.
