Nam Định continues to struggle in the V-League

28/10/2025 07:52:00 TrophyTracker

Coach Trung Kiên secured just one point in his Nam Định debut at Thiên Trường Stadium, despite facing SHB Đà Nẵng, a team struggling at the bottom of the table. Meanwhile, in the latest match of the round, Công an Hà Nội impressively overcame difficulties against the southern football representative, Công an TP.HCM.

On the evening of October 27, two late matches concluded round 8 of the LPbank V-League 2025/26 with completely different atmospheres. At Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Công an Hà Nội showed the composure of a title contender by beating Công an TP.HCM 1-0 despite being down to 10 men for over 70 minutes.

The "Police Derby" between Công an Hà Nội and Công an TP.HCM was the highlight of the round. Both teams are competing for the championship this season, each with strong squads featuring notable stars, led by experienced coaches Alexandre Polking and Lê Huỳnh Đức.

However, the match’s flow changed early due to a red card. In the 18th minute, Lê Văn Đô of Công an Hà Nội was sent off for hitting opponent Việt Hoàng in the face, forcing the home team to play with 10 men for most of the game. Before the match, goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip’s long-term injury was also a major loss for Công an Hà Nội.

Despite this setback, Công an Hà Nội did not falter. The home team retreated, organized a solid defense, and awaited counterattack chances. That opportunity came in the 35th minute when foreign player Alan exploited a defensive mistake by the visitors to score the opening goal, which decided the match.

The second half showed Công an Hà Nội’s resilience. Although under pressure, Coach Polking’s players maintained good formation, coordinated well defensively, and launched several dangerous counterattacks.

Quang Hải had a chance to double the lead but narrowly missed, while Tiến Linh from Công an TP.HCM failed to use the numerical advantage to equalize. Coach Huỳnh Đức brought all his firepower onto the pitch in the last 20 minutes, but his players were blocked by the home team’s solid defense.

When referee Lê Vũ Linh ended the match, home fans breathed a sigh of relief. Công an Hà Nội extended their unbeaten streak to 10 matches across all competitions and rose to second place with 17 points. Polking’s team has played only 7 matches and still has one game in hand, trailing league leaders Ninh Bình by 3 points.

Alan’s valuable goal helped Công an Hà Nội move up to second place after round 8. Photo: Hoàng Linh

Công an Hà Nội’s playing style under Coach Polking is increasingly impressive. In contrast, Công an TP.HCM suffered a disappointing defeat, failing to capitalize on their numerical advantage and missing the chance to enter the top three.

While Hàng Đẫy witnessed Công an Hà Nội’s effective performance, fans at Thiên Trường experienced a tense 90 minutes. Nam Định did not prove worthy of their status as reigning V-League champions. New coach Trung Kiên, replacing Vũ Hồng Việt, nearly had a disastrous debut.

Nam Định is in crisis, having collected only 7 points after 8 rounds, and the 1-1 draw against SHB Đà Nẵng on October 27 further complicates the situation for the Thiên Trường home team.

In the 14th minute, visitors SHB Đà Nẵng unexpectedly took the lead. National player Phi Hoàng scored the opener for the guests. The early goal deepened the home team’s morale problems, especially after a series of draws and losses in both the V-League and AFC Champions League Two.

Nam Định pushed forward but was ineffective in finishing. Lâm Ti Phông and Văn Đạt both missed clear chances in the first half to equalize.

In the second half, Nam Định kept pressing, dominating possession but failed to create breakthroughs. It was not until the 89th minute, with time nearly up, that center-back Lucas Alves headed in the equalizer, rescuing Nam Định from a disappointing loss. The six minutes of added time saw unsuccessful attempts from both sides, and the final draw reflected the balanced match.

This draw extends Nam Định’s winless streak, leaving them stuck in the mid-table with inconsistent form. Coach Trung Kiên’s debut was not smooth, and clearly, stabilizing the Nam Định team will be challenging amid a tight schedule.

Both ambitious teams, but the images of Công an Hà Nội and Nam Định after round 8 are completely different. One side showed resilience and overcame adversity to win, while the other struggles to regain form amid pressure and crisis. The V-League 2025/26 is entering a crucial phase, and performances like those on October 27 could be key turning points for the season.

Round 8 Results

Becamex TP.HCM – Hà Nội FC: 2-3

Hải Phòng - Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh: 2-1

HAGL – Thể Công Viettel: 2-1

PVF CAND – Ninh Bình: 1-3

SLNA – Thanh Hóa: 0-1

Nam Định – SHB Đà Nẵng: 1-1

Công an Hà Nội – Công an TP. Hồ Chí Minh: 1-0

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