V-League Round 25: The relegation race is incredibly thrilling, promising drama until the very last round

The 25th round of the 2025/26 V-League offered intensely exciting action, particularly the fight to avoid relegation, with suspense building to a climax just before the last round.

V-League heats up with relegation race

The spotlight of the penultimate round was on the bottom of the table. A goalless draw at Hà Tĩnh's ground gave Đà Nẵng a precious point, but they still remain in the danger zone. Meanwhile, PVF-CAND defeated Hải Phòng FC 3-1, while Becamex TPHCM suffered a 1-2 loss away at Công An Hà Nội.

This result made the relegation race incredibly tense, as Becamex TP.HCM, Đà Nẵng, and PVF-CAND are all tied on 21 points after 25 rounds. The fate of all three teams will be decided in the final round. A single win, a draw, or even a single goal could be a turning point in this survival battle. This is a rare scenario in the V-League, with three teams heading into the last matchday level on points, each facing the threat of direct relegation or a play-off spot.

At the top of the table, newly crowned champions Công An Hà Nội continued to showcase their strength with a 2-1 victory over Bình Dương at Hàng Đẫy Stadium. Alan and Leo Artur found the net, helping the police team extend their impressive run after securing the title early. The scoreline did not reflect the hosts' dominance, as they created numerous chances, but goalkeeper Trần Minh Toàn put in an outstanding performance to keep the deficit small.

Nevertheless, coming away empty-handed left Becamex TPHCM with plenty of worries. Reason: In the simultaneous match, PVF-CAND fully capitalized on their home advantage to beat Hải Phòng 3-1, thanks to goals from Josep Mpande, Võ Anh Quân, and Hoàng Vũ Samson. The fact that Đà Nẵng fought hard to earn a point at Hà Tĩnh (0-0 draw) made the relegation race even more exciting, as all three teams are level on points. According to the rules, the organizers will use head-to-head records when comparing the sides.

The biggest surprise of the round occurred in Pleiku. Hà Nội FC took the lead first with a goal from Hoàng Hên in the first half. However, the capital side lost control after the break. Thành Chung scored an own goal before prodigy Gia Bảo made it 2-1 for HAGL. In stoppage time, Gabriel Da Conceicão Dos Santos sealed a 3-1 victory for the Pleiku hosts. This impressive comeback allowed HAGL to end their home season with a memorable win and officially secure their survival.

At Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định also delivered a convincing performance against Sông Lam Nghệ An. Nguyễn Xuân Son became the brightest star of the round by netting a hat-trick against the Nghệ An side, playing a major role in the 3-0 victory for coach Vũ Hồng Việt's team. This was also good news for Vietnam national team coach Kim Sang-sik.

The V-League season will officially conclude next weekend with a series of matches kicking off at 18:00 on June 7.