'Storms' besiege the four-time V-League champion

Becamex TP.HCM is facing the most difficult V-League season in its history. The four-time national champion is at risk of having to compete in a playoff to retain its place in the top flight.

A 0-1 defeat to SLNA at home in round 24 served as the harshest warning yet forthe team from Thủ Dầu Mộtas the relegation battle enters its final two rounds.

From a position of power once dubbed "Chelsea of Vietnam," Becamex TP.HCM now faces the risk of dropping to the bottom of the table and possibly paying the price with relegation.

The most worrying thing is not the current position, but what the second most traditionally successful club in V-Leaguehas shown over the past several months. Becamex TP.HCM's last win came in March against Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh.

Since then, the club has only drawn or lost in eight consecutive rounds. An incredibly poor run of form for a squad boasting several national team players and quality footballers.

Forty goals conceded after 24 rounds is the worst record in the league. A team aiming to avoid relegation but possessing the most fragile defense in the V-League is clearly putting itself in danger. Minh Toàn is almost always picking the ball out of the net, and Becamex TP.HCMnow appear fragile, with defeat often seeming predictable.

That deadlock has prompted the management to repeatedly change the coaching staff. Becamex TP.HCM has made the most coaching changes in the league. Club legend Nguyễn Anh Đức left early, coach Đặng Trần Chỉnh took over, then coach Nobuhiro Ueno, and now coach Hứa Hiền Vinh. However, changing the captain does not mean the club will change its fortunes.

After two matches undercoach Hứa Hiền Vinh, Becamex TP.HCM have lost both. In reality, this change has not created significant differences, as the core professional management structure remains almost the same. The club still has familiar faces running the dressing room, and the appointment of coach Hứa Hiền Vinh—promoted from the youth team—is seen by many as merely a temporary solution in the hope of turning luck around.

Coach Hứa Hiền Vinh is well known for his youth development work at PVF and with national youth teams. Stepping into the harsh environment of the V-League, the difficulties multiply many times over.

What is unfortunate is that Becamex TP.HCM is not a club lacking in squad strength. The team possesses many quality players such as Việt Cường, Minh Khoa, Vĩ Hào, and Hồ Tấn Tài. The club also does not face financial pressure like many others. Yet paradoxically, each year the club sinks deeper into the survival fight.

Hồ Tấn Tài's red card in the match against SLNA has only worsened the situation. The former national team player will be absent for two decisive rounds. With team morale already at its lowest, losing another key player is a heavy blow to the relegation survival ambitions.

The difficulties do not stop there. In round 25, Becamex TP.HCM must travel to face Công an Hà Nội at Hàng Đẫy. This is the match where the home team will receive the championship trophy in front of their fans. Against a side that has lost only one match all season, it is hard to believe Công an Hà Nội will let up on their big day.

If they lose, Becamex TP.HCM (21 points, 12th place) could easily be overtaken by SHB Đà Nẵng (20 points, in 13th place). The team from the Hàn River is in excellent spirits following their win over Hải Phòng and has a more favorable fixture list. Meanwhile, PVF CAND (18 points, bottom of the table) has not given up hope either.

The scariest scenario for Becamex TP.HCM is entering the final round needing to play a "reverse final" against HAGL. At that point, the pressure will be greater than at any other moment this season.

From a club that once dominated Vietnamese football with four V-League titles and was a source of pride for southern football, Becamex TP.HCM now lives in fear of relegation. It is a sad chapter for this team and an image that leaves many feeling regret.