Round 18 of V-League: The Thrilling Battle for Survival

The 18th round of the V-League ended with numerous surprising twists, causing major fluctuations at the top and bottom of the league table.

Round 18 of the V-League 2025/26 wrapped up with dramatic and unexpected events, most notably CAHN's draw during their away match against PVF-CAND. Before the trip, the police department team was predicted to face a tough game because the home side was desperately seeking points in their survival fight. The on-field action confirmed this, as Hanoi Police, despite advantages in personnel and an early lead, allowed PVF-CAND to equalize for a 1-1 draw in a match that included 10 minutes of added time.

This result did not affect the top position held by CAHN, but it gave the chasing teams behind an opportunity to narrow the point gap with Coach Polking's squad.

Meanwhile, with a 1-0 victory over Dong A Thanh Hoa, the second-placed team The Cong Viettel moved closer to Hanoi Police's position, as the point difference between the two teams is now only 7 points, with 8 rounds remaining in the season.

Similarly to The Cong Viettel, Ninh Binh and Hanoi FC also secured victories to strengthen their positions on the table. One week after defeating HAGL in Pleiku to get their first win under Coach Vu Tien Thanh, Ninh Binh repeated this feat during their away trip to Ho Chi Minh City against host Becamex Binh Duong. Notably, both of Ninh Binh's wins occurred with a 2-1 scoreline, and in both matches, the decisive goal was scored by Van Thuan, the U23 Vietnam national team player who was substituted in during the second half.

Meanwhile, witnessed by Coach Kim Sang Sik, Hoang Hen, Xuan Manh, and Hai Long displayed brilliant form to help Hanoi FC overcome Hong Linh Ha Tinh with a 3-0 score, thereby securing the 4th position on the standings.

Another highly notable match in Round 18 was the encounter between Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City Police at Lach Tray Stadium. If one only looks at the final score, many would think this was a completely one-sided match favoring Hai Phong, but the actual on-field situation was different, as both teams delivered an all-out attacking style of play for over 90 minutes.

Even after conceding a goal, Ho Chi Minh City Police still had several moments shaking Hai Phong's goal frame, and the outcome between the two sides was determined solely by the ability to seize opportunities and the goalkeeper's excellence. Another highlight was Hai Phong's third goal in this match, executed by captain Trung Hieu, which was truly a masterpiece and could very well be nominated for the list of the best goals of April.

In the lower half of the standings, the survival race is also extremely intense as PVF-CAND pushed SHB Da Nang to the bottom spot, while SLNA and HAGL are approaching the safe zone thanks to crucial points.

However, with 8 rounds still left before the V-League concludes, any scenario is possible, and at this moment, nothing can be definitively stated regarding both the championship race and the battle to avoid relegation.