After round 5 of V.League 2025-2026, the race for the top spot became tense when Ninh Binh could no longer maintain an all-win streak, while Ho Chi Minh City Police and Hanoi Police both took the lead to level the scores.
At Lach Tray Stadium, Ninh Binh was held to a 2-2 draw by Hai Phong club, thereby losing the opportunity to create a gap with the opponents chasing. Meanwhile, Hanoi Police won 2-0 at Thien Truong Stadium against Nam Dinh to continue to maintain stable performance.
In another match, Ho Chi Minh City Police had an impressive comeback against Song Lam Nghe An at Vinh Stadium, thereby also achieving 13 points and sharing the top spot.
The situation of V.League 2025-2026 enters the top separation stage. The three regions of Ninh Binh, Ho Chi Minh City Police and Hanoi Police are dominating the championship race, while The Cong Viettel is closely behind with 11 points. In the bottom group, Song Lam Nghe An fell into crisis when coach Phan Nhu Thuat resigned after a series of bad matches. Becamex HCMC, Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Thanh Hoa continue to lack victory, putting increasing pressure on the coaching staff.
The developments after round 5 show that this year's season promises many surprises, as the championship race and the relegation battle are both fierce from the start.
