Tran Tien
Football Tribe Vietnam
With a five-point lead over at the top of the table, Hanoi seems to have secured their second consecutive V.League title. The focus of the league now is on the tight relegation battle.
Before round 22, the last-placed team Sanna Khanh Hoa had 20 points when the fourth-placed team Da Nang had only 27. One win or one loss by each team could have a major impact on the final standings, with many teams still in the reckoning for a drop to the second division.
The match to watch this week will be played at the Thanh Hoa Stadium, where the host will face Hai Phong. Thanh Hoa recently had their second change in the head coach position this season as Vu Quang Bao stepped down to be replaced by youth coach Mai Xuan Hop.
This will be the first match in charge for former U23 Vietnam player and the Thanh Hoa’s fans are hoping for the win after five matches without one. If Thanh Hoa lose to the direct opponent, they could be drop into the relegation playoff place.
The away team have also had their own problems to contend with, as many of the players are nursing injuries and the morale in the squad is low. It will be very difficult for Hai Phong to have the full points from this match.
The other matches “six-pointer matches” set to be played this weekend include Nam Dinh vs Quang Nam, Binh Duong vs Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Viettel vs Saigon FC.