Dinh Bac and CAHN accelerate in V-League

The historic hat-trick against SLNA is not just a personal milestone, but also opens the journey to conquer a double title for Dinh Bac and CAHN Club in the LPBank V-League 2025/26.

As the season enters its decisive phase, the 22-year-old striker faces the opportunity to turn this season into the biggest turning point of his career. The three goals against his former coach Van Sy Son's team in round 20 could open a defining moment for Dinh Bac's career at the highest domestic level.

For the first time in five V-League seasons, a domestic player scores a hat-trick in a single match. And the major talent of Vietnam U23 at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship is the one who achieved it. Dinh Bac is no longer just a promising talent in Vietnamese football but is now a highly anticipated presence in the national team's attack.

Seven goals in the last four matches is a telling statistic. It not only reflects his form but also shows a breakthrough in both technical and psychological aspects of Dinh Bac's performance.

Previously, the striker born in 2004 endured a 16-match goal drought, but instead of being forgotten, the 2004-born player still received trust from coach Alexandre Polking. That patience is now yielding sweet rewards for the club.

In the context of Alan Grafite's long-term injury, Dinh Bac has perfectly replaced him, even creating a strong impression. Notably, before Alan became unavailable, Dinh Bac was already a regular choice in the club's attack, alongside Alan and Artur.

Currently, Alan still has 14 goals, but that gap is not impossible to close with six rounds remaining. Given his current soaring form, Dinh Bac can fully dream of the V-League Golden Boot title, something that seemed distant just a month ago.

More importantly, Bac is playing in an ideal collective for scoring. CAHN Club not only leads the standings with 51 points but also possesses the strongest attack in the league (48 goals) and the most solid defense (17 goals conceded).

When The Cong Viettel was held to a draw in round 20 and trails CAHN by 9 points, the championship race is almost decided. After 20 rounds, CAHN has officially made Nam Dinh the former champion as the gap between the two teams is now 23 points.

That safe margin could allow Dinh Bac and his teammates to play more openly, more attack-oriented in the remainder of the season. And that is precisely the opportunity for the 22-year-old player to continue his explosive form.

In reality, coach Polking's preferred football style is attacking, scoring many goals. When the system with standout names like Quang Hai, Mauk, Minh Phuc, Alves operates smoothly, the strikers are always placed in advantageous positions to finish. Dinh Bac, with his speed and sharp goal-scoring instinct, is maximizing this.

It is not excessive to say that Dinh Bac is a strong candidate for the starting striker position in the Vietnam national team under coach Kim Sang Sik. In the context of Tien Linh's prolonged decline in form and recent exclusion from the list, the door is wide open for Dinh Bac. If he maintains his form, the CAHN Club striker could fully become the ideal partner for Hoang Hen and Xuan Son in the Vietnam national team's attack at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

Compared to direct competitors on the national team at this moment, such as Gia Hung (who has 4 goals for Ninh Binh in V-League 2025/26) or Viet Cuong (6 goals for Becamex TP.HCM), Dinh Bac not only excels in form but also demonstrates the ability to make a difference in big matches. That is the quality of a star, something Vietnamese football always seeks in domestic strikers.

Nevertheless, everything still lies ahead. The striker from Nghe An, after many ups and downs, knows what he must do to maintain stability and avoid the risk of "early bloom, quick fade."

The remaining six rounds will be a real test of his ability to sustain the impressive goal-scoring efficiency from recent times. At least, Dinh Bac needs to conquer the domestic Golden Boot title as a memorable achievement for himself after three seasons playing in V-League.

If he can secure a personal title alongside a V-League championship, that would be a great reward for the rise of the former Quang Nam Club striker.

From a striker matured in the First Division to a main force in the club's attack and potentially the national team, Dinh Bac's journey is proof of the value of belief and perseverance.