Ninh Bình - An intriguing phenomenon in the V-League 2025 - 2026

After the first two rounds of the V-League 2025 - 2026, the biggest surprise has been the remarkable rise of the newcomer Ninh Bình. The team from the ancient capital has won both matches, earning 6 points and temporarily leading the table, surpassing many of Vietnam’s football giants.

Following their opening victory against Hà Tĩnh, Ninh Bình continued their impressive form with a commanding 4 - 0 win over Thanh Hóa.

At their home ground Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình showed great determination when hosting their neighbors Thanh Hóa. Right from the kickoff, the home team quickly applied strong pressure on the visitors’ half. The scorers for Ninh Bình were the foreign duo Daniel (31st and 70th minutes) and Gustavo (45+1 and 63rd minutes).

Another impressive win for Hoàng Đức and his teammates. With a perfect 6 points (goal difference +6), Ninh Bình is off to a flawless start this V-League season. Having scored a total of 7 goals and conceded only once, Ninh Bình currently holds the best goal difference after two rounds. The team from the ancient capital is proving that despite being newcomers, coach Gerard Albadalejo’s squad is emerging as a strong contender for this season’s championship.

Last season, Ninh Bình dominated the First Division with a “devastating” performance, going unbeaten with 19 wins and just one draw. The 2025 summer transfer window saw Ninh Bình further strengthen their squad by signing players like Đức Chiến, Châu Ngọc Quang, and Vietnamese overseas midfielder Trần Thành Trung. In addition, they also brought in quality foreign players.

Ninh Bình combines a core of experienced V-League players with skilled foreign reinforcements. The central midfield pairing of Đức Chiến and Hoàng Đức, along with seasoned national team players like Quang Nho, Văn Lâm, Đức Việt, Ngọc Quang, and Thanh Bình, provide balance in experience, composure, and technique. Meanwhile, foreign players Patrick Marcelino, Janclesio, Arban, Gustavo Henrique, Daniel Da Silva, and Geovane cover all three lines, giving the team considerable depth.

After more than a decade, the name Ninh Bình has reappeared in the V-League. This newcomer’s impressive start is injecting fresh energy into this year’s competition. The team from the ancient capital is becoming one of the league’s most fascinating stories.

Another newcomer, PVF CAND, faced a tough away match at Hải Phòng’s Lạch Tray stadium in round 2.

Under pressure from the home side, coach Thạch Bảo Khanh’s players had to fall back and defend in numbers to block the opponent’s attacks. PVF CAND’s cautious style proved effective as they managed to shut down Hải Phòng’s offensive efforts, leaving the home strikers with very few chances to threaten goalkeeper Phí Minh Long.

In this scenario, the turning point came at the 29th minute. From a corner kick, the ball was delivered to Anh Việt, who crossed it for foreign player Eyenga Alain to head in the opening goal for PVF CAND, surprising both the players and fans of the Hải Phòng team.

The match’s decisive moment occurred in the 56th minute when PVF CAND’s foreign player Mpande committed an elbow foul against Friday inside the penalty area. After a VAR review, the referee showed Mpande a red card, forcing the newcomers to play with one less player for the remainder of the match.

Playing a man down, the pressure increasingly mounted on coach Thạch Bảo Khanh’s squad.

As expected, after a series of attacks, Hải Phòng finally equalized 1 - 1 with Friday scoring in the 84th minute.

With the equalizer, the home team gained momentum, and at the 86th minute, Triệu Việt Hưng scored to put Hải Phòng ahead 2 - 1. In stoppage time at 90+2, Hữu Nam sealed the 3 - 1 victory for Hải Phòng, securing the win for coach Chu Đình Nghiêm’s side.