Round 11 of the LPBank V-League 2025/26: HAGL faces a 'relegation final' in Pleiku

08/11/2025 06:55:00 pandatv

The 2025/26 V-League is witnessing fierce competition at both ends of the table. At the top, Ninh Binh remains the center of attention as they travel to Thong Nhat Stadium to face Ho Chi Minh City Police, while the relegation showdown in Pleiku between HAGL and Thanh Hoa is also highly notable.

The capital city team currently leads the standings with 24 points, 7 points ahead of fifth-placed Ho Chi Minh City Police. Under coach Gerard Castano, Ninh Binh has maintained an impressive unbeaten run since the start of the season, demonstrating cohesive play and composure in critical moments.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City Police, despite a recent victory over SHB Da Nang in round 10, have yet to show fully convincing performance, mainly due to luck. Their two foreign players, Utzig and Endrick, have not returned, leaving the attack lifeless, and Tien Linh is exhausted, almost forced to "go solo" as the main striker.

Given the current squad dynamics, Ninh Binh has a great chance to extend their winning streak to consolidate their top position and apply pressure on chasing teams like Hanoi Police and The Cong Viettel.

Notably, The Cong Viettel is expected to face an easier match as they visit PVF CAND, who are near the bottom and clearly inexperienced. A win would help The Cong Viettel keep close to Ninh Binh.

Ninh Binh is forecasted to continue holding the top spot after round 11. Photo: Nhat Anh

Second-placed Hanoi Police (20 points but with only 8 matches played, 2 points behind Ninh Binh) face a tougher challenge hosting Hong Linh Ha Tinh. After completing their match in Australia, coach Polking's team must immediately return to Hang Day to host Nguyen Cong Manh's squad, who have been performing strongly.

At Lach Tray Stadium, fourth-placed Hai Phong is expected to recover after their "accident" at Go Dau when hosting SHB Da Nang. The Han River team is in crisis near the bottom, with a fragile defense and lack of effective attacking solutions. This is a prime chance for the Lach Tray hosts to regain morale and continue competing at the top.

At Thien Truong, Nam Dinh, after a streak of losses, will face Hanoi FC, who are gradually stabilizing under coach Harry Kewell. Despite home advantage and support from Nam fans, given their current form, earning points against Hanoi is a big challenge for Nam Dinh. A defeat could see them drop into the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, the bottom group of five teams all with 7 points (PVF CAND, HAGL, Thanh Hoa, SLNA, and SHB Da Nang) continue entering "do-or-die" matches.

The match between HAGL and Thanh Hoa in Pleiku is regarded as a "relegation final," with the loser likely to fall to the bottom of the standings. SLNA must fully exploit their home advantage in Vinh when hosting Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, who have been performing well under coach Dang Tran Chinh.

Round 11 schedule

Saturday (Nov 8):

18:00 PVF CAND – The Cong Viettel

Sunday (Nov 9)

17:00 HAGL – Thanh Hoa

18:00 SLNA – Becamex Ho Chi Minh City

18:00 Hai Phong – SHB Da Nang

19:15 Ho Chi Minh City Police – Ninh Binh

Monday (Nov 10)

18:00 Nam Dinh – Hanoi FC

19:15 Hanoi Police – Hong Linh Ha Tinh

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