Before Round 14 of V-League: Major battles from the derbies

Four of the seven fixtures in V-League's 14th round are local derbies, which are expected to produce captivating contests.

Round 14 of V.League 1 2025/26 – the opening round of the second leg – becomes special as up to 4 out of 7 matchups carry the "derby" nature. Three matches take place on February 28th, while the remaining four are held on March 1st, promising to create an intensely competitive atmosphere across multiple fronts.

On the first matchday, the spotlight is on the Nghe Tinh derby between Hong Linh Ha Tinh (17 pts) and SLNA (13 pts). Despite not being highly rated before the season due to squad changes, HLHT has maintained stable form under coach Nguyen Cong Manh. Meanwhile, SLNA has shown signs of revival since coach Van Sy Son took charge, notably with an impressive 4-1 victory over TCVT. The first leg ended in a draw, so the rematch is predicted to be balanced, with HLHT having a slight edge due to home advantage.

The match between SHB Da Nang (7 pts) and PVF-CAND (11 pts) is likened to a "relegation group final." SHBDN must win to close the points gap, while PVF-CAND also understands the value of this "six-pointer." The two teams are relatively evenly matched, having drawn 2-2 in the first leg, so the outcome remains unpredictable, especially as PVF-CAND hopes for a new impetus from coach Nguyen Thanh Cong.

In the championship race, CAHN (32 pts) aims for 3 points when hosting HAGL (14 pts). A win in the rescheduled match helped CAHN create a 5-point lead over the team behind them, and their exit from the AFC Cup allows them to focus fully on V.League. Although HAGL just defeated Ninh Binh FC, CAHN is still rated superior after their 3-1 first-leg victory.

The four matches on March 1st are also noteworthy. Hai Phong (20 pts) is determined to defeat Dong A Thanh Hoa (12 pts) to maintain their position in the top group, while the visiting team is striving to accumulate points during a difficult period. The Ninh Binh derby between Thep Xanh Nam Dinh (12 pts) and Ninh Binh FC (27 pts) holds significant meaning for the title race, with Nam Dinh seeing coach Vu Hong Viet return, and Ninh Binh under pressure after two consecutive losses.

The Ho Chi Minh City derby between Cong An TP.HCM (20 pts) and Becamex TP.HCM (12 pts) sees the home team rated higher as their opponent remains unstable under coach Nobuhiro. Closing the round is the Capital derby between The Cong Viettel (25 pts) and Hanoi FC (21 pts) – a closely matched contest, replaying the first leg's 1-1 draw scenario and officiated by two FIFA referees from Thailand.

Thai FIFA referees come to Vietnam to officiate the highly anticipated capital 'derby'

5 V-League clubs receive penalties