The V-League is heating up.

The LPBank V-League 2025/2026 is truly entering a phase that could produce the most unpredictable surprises. The race at the top and bottom remains uncertain, as everything is still open.open.

CAHN's first defeat has unexpectedly created a turning point in the championship race. Instead of being "alone on horseback," Coach Polking and his team now feel the heat on their backs, as The Cong Viettel and Ninh Bình FC have narrowed the gap to 4 and 7 points respectively.

Entering the Year of the Horse, the V-League presents a completely new version. There are developments beyond the expectations of fans and possibly even the teams themselves. In the upper group, while The Cong Viettel and Hanoi FC are gaining momentum, Ninh Bình FC has suddenly stalled. In the middle of the standings, apart from Nam Định showing signs of improvement, the form of Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Hai Phong has declined.

Given the current dynamics of the league, The Cong Viettel is the most formidable opponent for CAHN in the remainder of the season. A convincing 3-1 victory on Becamex TP.HCM's home ground helped Coach Velizar Popov's team maintain their second-place position with 31 points. After an unexpected stumble in round 13 against SLNA, The Cong Viettel has gradually regained stability and secured 6 points from their last two matches.

Under the guidance of Coach Velizar Popov, a charismatic leader who has just reached the milestone of 100 matches in Vietnamese competitions, and with a squad of high-quality players, The Cong Viettel can confidently aim for higher goals rather than settling for a top-three spot.

The Bulgarian coach expressed that he is "extremely proud" to achieve another memorable milestone in his coaching career—100 official matches in Vietnamese football. This achievement accompanies three titles with Thanh Hóa, alongside many memorable moments for Coach Popov in Vietnamese football.

Although they have not won for four consecutive matches, do not hastily dismiss Ninh Bình from the race for the "crown," as they are also a strong team, once unbeaten in the first 11 rounds. Recent instability in form and coaching changes have caused them to stumble. If they can quickly rediscover the joy of victory, Ninh Bình could still create a fair race alongside CAHN and The Cong Viettel in the remaining part of the season.

Securing a convincing victory in the Capital derby, it is still very difficult for Hanoi FC to join the championship race. Nevertheless, Hanoi FC is capable of "throwing a wrench" into any contender's path. Coach Harry Kewell stated that the match against CAHN was the best he has witnessed in the V-League, and the Australian coach hopes that the league needs more such high-level clashes to elevate its stature.

While the championship race has suddenly "heated up," the relegation battle is also extremely intense. A series of teams are lined up in the lower half of the standings. There have been new developments in the relegation fight as SLNA has achieved three consecutive victories, jumping ahead of Nam Định with one more point.

In the battle to stay in the V-League, Thanh Hóa's resilience is commendable, but their recent defeat against Hong Linh Ha Tinh shows that the Thanh-based team has been "hard hit" by the FIFA penalty and the sale of several key players. Similarly, HAGL has returned to familiar realities, struggling with relegation each season. Moreover, PVF-CAND, relying solely on spirit and youth, is insufficient as they have lost two consecutive matches. Perhaps, by now, the newcomer PVF-CAND understands how harsh the V-League can be.

For SHB Da Nang, the 4 points earned from their last two matches is a very encouraging achievement. This is a timely morale boost, helping Coach Le Duc Tuan and his team gain more confidence for the rest of the season. However, the Han River team knows that the road ahead is fraught with challenges.

As the V-League heats up and becomes crowded, the competition will be more dramatic but also harbors variables. And at both ends of the race, the story of "some rising, some falling" remains an unknown for observers and participants alike.