A rare overseas Vietnamese marks a historic milestone in the V.League

Australian-Vietnamese midfielder Khoa Ngô debuted as a starter in the V.League playing for Ho Chi Minh City Police Club in the away game at PVF against PVF-CAND at 6 PM on February 1st.

During the training camp in early January, Ho Chi Minh City Police played a friendly against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh at Thien Truong Stadium (January 11th) and although they lost 2-4 overall, coach Le Huynh Duc’s team still gained many positive signs, especially from the newcomers; notably Khoa Ngô, who came on in the second half and continuously troubled the opponent’s defense before making a smart run and finishing past goalkeeper Nguyen Manh to equalize 2-2 for Ho Chi Minh City Police.

This strong performance helped Khoa Ngô earn his first starting spot in the V.League when Ho Chi Minh City Police played away against PVF-CAND in round 12. This match was not only significant for him personally but also held great importance for the team’s personnel strategy.

Besides his impressive showing with a goal against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in the friendly on January 11th, Khoa Ngô also demonstrated quick adaptation to his new environment at Ho Chi Minh City Police, especially developing a growing synergy with his fellow overseas Vietnamese teammate Williams Lee, who also started alongside him in the match against PVF-CAND.

On the training ground, the pair frequently communicate in both Vietnamese and English, encouraging each other during drills, showing confidence, harmony, and understanding of the playing style, raising hopes they will become key attacking threats for the team in the remainder of the V.League 2025/26 season.

Regarding the league situation, PVF-CAND entered this match under considerable pressure. After 11 rounds, the police team had only won once, drawn five times, and lost five matches, ranking 13th with 8 points, just one point ahead of SHB Da Nang. This poor performance led to coach Thach Bao Khanh stepping down, replaced by coach Nguyen Thanh Cong.

On the other hand, Ho Chi Minh City Police held a relatively stable position in 5th place after 11 rounds. During the mid-season transfer window, coach Le Huynh Duc’s team strengthened their squad with quality additions, notably Khoa Ngô (Australian-Vietnamese), Minh Trong, Mach Ngoc Ha, and Dinh Thanh Binh. With the upgraded lineup, Ho Chi Minh City Police aims to make a strong breakthrough in the remaining phase.