V.League 1 2025/2026: Closing the Gap

After securing 3 points from a victory over Dong A Thanh Hoa and maintaining a 7-match unbeaten streak, The Cong Viettel Club continues to narrow the gap in the championship race. In the lower group, Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club surprisingly defeated the reigning champion, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, right at Thiên Truong Stadium. Hai Phong Club also secured its second consecutive win to return to the top 5 of the standings…

The first match of Round 18 took place on April 10 between The Cong Viettel Club and Dong A Thanh Hoa, ending with a 1-0 victory for the military-clad team. The only goal of the match was scored from a penalty kick by Pedro Henrique (73rd minute). With these 3 points, The Cong Viettel temporarily reduced the gap in the championship race with the top-ranked team, Cong An Ha Noi Club, to 6 points. The loss to The Cong Viettel pushed Dong A Thanh Hoa Club down to 12th place in the standings, only 4 points ahead of the bottom team.

The next three matches of Round 18 occurred on April 11. Song Lam Nghe An Club achieved a narrow 1-0 victory while hosting SHB Da Nang Club. Although the win was minimal, gaining maximum points allowed Coach Van Sy Son's team to climb to 8th place in the temporary standings, creating a gap of 11 points compared to SHB Da Nang itself (23 points vs. 12 points). This round's defeat kept the Han River team in the lower group.

Pressure on SHB Da Nang Club intensified as another team in the lower group, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, secured a victory in Round 18. The Pleiku mountain town team created a major surprise by overcoming the host team Thep Xanh Nam Dinh with a 2-1 score right at Thiên Truong Stadium. Before this match, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh Club had been in very high form with 4 consecutive wins, while the visiting team had not known victory since Round 14. This crucial victory significantly improved Coach Quang Trai's team's position in the lower group, creating a temporary 6-point gap from the bottom teams.

In the upper group, Hai Phong Club secured a 3-0 victory over Cong An Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh Club to advance into the top 5 of the standings. Two consecutive losses (a 0-4 defeat to Dong A Thanh Hoa in Round 17) temporarily dropped the southern team to 6th place, while also facing significant pressure from teams behind them such as Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, Song Lam Nghe An...

The remaining three matches of Round 18 took place on April 12. The "dark horse" Ninh Bình is returning to a winning streak as they visited Becamex Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh Club. Ninh Bình Club possesses a squad rated higher and had shown potential in the early season phase. However, their recent form has clearly declined. In a closely contested match, the visiting team gained the advantage with a goal during the first-half stoppage time by Geovane Magno (45+2 minute). In the second half, Becamex Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh pressed forward and equalized the score 1-1 with a goal by Tan Tai (55th minute). But in the 90+5 minute, Geovane Magno from the visiting Ninh Bình side scored again to seal the 2-1 result. With these 3 points, Ninh Bình Club maintained its 3rd place in the standings with 34 points, 4 points behind the second-placed team The Cong Viettel.

At home, PVF-CAND Club unexpectedly drew 1-1 with the top-ranked team – Cong An Ha Noi Club. The visiting Cong An Ha Noi team scored in the 12th minute of the match by Dinh Bac. With determination and the home advantage, PVF-CAND Club also equalized the score in the 54th minute with a goal by Xuan Bac. Although only securing 1 point against the visitors, these are precious points for PVF-CAND, temporarily placing them 13th, 1 point above the bottom team SHB Da Nang, and opening hope to escape the playoff position. This draw did not significantly affect Cong An Ha Noi Club, as they still maintain a 7-point gap over the second-placed team, The Cong Viettel.

At Hang Day Stadium, Ha Noi Club secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Hong Linh Ha Tinh Club. The three goals for the host side were scored by Xuan Manh (25th minute), Hoang Hen (66th minute), and Daniel Passira (72nd minute). With these 3 points, Ha Noi Club continues to hold 4th place in the standings, 3 points ahead of Hai Phong Club, and still has a chance to enter the top 3 as the season has 8 rounds remaining.

The matches of Round 19 of V.League 1 2025/2026 will continue from April 17-19.