Xuan Son 'helps' CAHN consolidate top spot

The commencement of the second leg's fixtures was marked by intense drama, high-caliber play, and significant shifts at the top and bottom of the standings. Xuan Son played an indirect role in aiding Hanoi Police (CAHN) to extend their lead over Ninh Bình, with Nam Dinh claiming victory in the round's headline clash.

The showdown at Thien Truong Stadium was not only a contest between domestic football's established and emerging forces, Nam Dinh and Ninh Bình, but also an indirect battle between Ninh Bình and CAHN in the championship race. Before Ninh Bình marched to Thien Truong, CAHN had played a day earlier, coming from behind to defeat HAGL 3-1.

A brace from Alves and a goal from Minh Phuc helped the league leaders reach 35 points after 13 matches, simultaneously applying immense pressure on Ninh Bình. The gap could have widened to 8 points if Hoang Duc's side stumbled. And that is precisely what happened.

The match at Thien Truong was a true football spectacle. The first half witnessed an exciting, end-to-end contest of high technical quality. Ninh Bình started confidently, showing their ambition to chase the top spot as Thanh Thinh and Hoang Duc scored to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

However, Nam Dinh did not collapse. Akolo pulled one back late in the first half following sustained pressure. The ball found the visitors' woodwork at least twice, foreshadowing a stormy second half.

And the storm truly descended upon Van Lam's goal after the break. Vietnamese national team striker Xuan Son, having gone three consecutive matches without scoring, played with immense determination. On the day coach Vu Hong Viet returned to the dugout, Nam Dinh played as if they had nothing to lose. The pressure mounted continuously until the 74th minute, when Xuan Son found the net for the 2-2 equalizer, quenching his goal drought and releasing pent-up frustration.

In the stands, coach Kim Sang-sik, closely monitoring his national team players, likely felt some relief seeing Xuan Son rediscover his scoring touch. After the equalizer, Nam Dinh's momentum surged while Ninh Bình looked disoriented. In the 82nd minute, Kevin Pham Ba easily tapped in from close range following a moment of defensive confusion from the visiting side.

With a 3-2 final victory, Nam Dinh secured a precious, morale-boosting win, climbing to 9th place with 15 points. For Ninh Bình, this third consecutive defeat exposed significant issues with their composure in a title race.

Leading by two goals but failing to protect their advantage, Ninh Bình squandered their chance to close in on CAHN. They now have 27 points after 14 matches, dropping to third place after The Cong Viettel overtook them.

In the capital "derby," The Cong Viettel demonstrated resilience and sharpness against Hanoi FC. Huu Thang opened the scoring in the 40th minute after several missed chances. Hanoi FC, under coach Harry Kewell, lacked creativity and faced greater difficulty when striker Passira received a red card in the 79th minute from Thai referee Songkran Bunmeekiart.

The 1-0 win gives The Cong Viettel 28 points, lifting them to second place, one point ahead of Ninh Bình and seven behind CAHN. Hanoi FC remains in fourth with 21 points, level with fifth-placed Hai Phong Club.

Meanwhile, CAHN continues to present themselves as the prime contender for the championship. If they maintain their current form, an early title win is not an unrealistic prospect for coach Polking and his team.

At the bottom end of the table, Thanh Hoa played another courageous match at Hai Phong's ground. The two teams produced an exciting, back-and-forth goal chase at Lach Tray Stadium. Six goals were scored, shared equally. Van Tung netted a brace for the visitors, alongside Rimario's return to form, helping Thanh Hoa snatch a valuable point with the 3-3 equalizer. Hai Phong could only blame themselves for letting a 3-1 lead slip. Thanh Hoa sits in 12th with 13 points.

The relegation battle is heating up. SHB Da Nang showed signs of revival by defeating PVF-CAND 3-0 on the opening day of their "new" Chi Lang stadium (renamed from Hoa Xuan). This was their first home win in nearly two and a half years, carrying immense psychological significance. Although still bottom with 10 points, coach Le Duc Tuan's squad trails second-bottom PVF CAND by just one point, with a game in hand and hope fully intact.

SLNA also improved their position after a narrow away win at Ha Tinh thanks to a goal from captain Olaha. The Nghe An-based team climbed to 8th with 16 points. In the round's latest match, Becamex Binh Duong contributed to pushing HAGL (14 points) down to 11th place, as the club managed by Director of Football Dang Tran Chinh defeated Ho Chi Minh City Police 1-0 at Thong Nhat Stadium, rising to 10th with 15 points.