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In a season which is spread over 26 games, somehow it comes down to the final two games to find out who is going to be Champion of the V League which is Vietnam’s Premier League. Last season it went right down to the wire as well, Hanoi winning the title by virtue of goal difference on the final day.
This season, it is slightly different, instead of it being contested by two teams, there are still FIVE sides that can claim glory and gain a place in the AFC Champions League qualifiers and the riches that come with it. Here is how the top five are positioned going into the penultimate round of fixtures which takes place on Sunday the 19th of November.
Quang Nam lead the way after they won their rearranged fixture with fifth place Than Quang Ninh which took place on the 10th of November, if the result had gone the other way and Than Quang Ninh had won it would have meant SEVEN teams would’ve still had a shot at glory, which equates to half the league. Let’s break down each of the five in contention for top spot, looking at their remaining fixtures and what is likely to happen, in descending order.
5th - Than Quang Ninh
The least likely of the five to win the league, purely from the perspective that they have to hope for a massive goal swing and that the four above them drop points. If they had even got a point away at Quang Nam it would have made it a much more likely occurrence that they would be in and around, but as it happens, it is going to take a small miracle for them to win the league.
Remaining fixtures:
Ho Chi Minh City (A) | Ha Noi (H)
They will be open for somewhat of a routine victory at HCM and that those around them drop points, because if they don’t, it will be all but over. Either way, though, the game against Ha Noi promises to be a fantastic match to end the season and if its anything like the reverse fixture which ended in a 3-2 home win for defending champions Ha Noi, it will be the perfect way for the season to finish at Cua Ong Stadium.
4th – Sanna Khanh Hoa
Again, similar to 5th place Than Quang Ninh, they need results to go in their favour, but, it could have been a different story entirely for SKH if they hadn’t dropped four points over two winnable games.
It was the fourth game of the season when they hosted Can Tho at home, now, of course, it would’ve been far too early to predict the destiny of both teams this season, but when you look at the table and see Can Tho second bottom and SKH challenging for the title, SKH have to reflect on the 2-2 draw and realise that, that was two points dropped.
The second game was as recent as the 24th of September when they travelled to basement side Long An, again, it finished in a 2-2 draw. If they had won those two games they would have been level on points with Quang Nam going into this weekend and they would have had it all in their own hands.
Remaining fixtures:
FLC Thanh Hoa (A) | Becamex Binh Duong (H)
The first of the two fixtures will be a very evenly matched contest and with FLC Thanh Hoa sitting in third, it really is a case of winner takes all, it really is fascinating to see how it plays out. You’d like to think the Becamex game would be a foregone home win for SKH, but when you look at the matches where they dropped points against Long An and Can Tho it really is anyone’s guess on the outcome.
3rd – FLC Thanh Hoa
Thanh Hoa will be well and truly kicking themselves with the way this has played out because they won seven out of their first eight league games this season, really asserting themselves as a force to be reckoned with and that was what they were all about their home record. Away teams knew if they were going to play at Sân v?n ??ng Thanh Hóa they were going to be in for a helluva game and more than likely lose.
In contrast, in the last four games they’ve played at home, they’ve only picked up three points and worse than that, their only home defeat of the season came at the hands of Quang Nam, who sit top of the table and three points above them. Most recently, the two points dropped at home to Becamex would have dealt a major blow to their title aspirations, so whilst it's not beyond the realms of possibility that they could snatch the title, it's not likely.
Remaining Fixtures:
Sanna Khanh Hoa (H) | Song Lam Nghe An (A)
If you had asked any Thanh Hoa fan at the midpoint of the season if they would get six points from the last two, the majority would have said yes, but when you factor in their poor home form of late and the fact that Sanna Khanh Hoa are unbeaten in three on the road, it really makes it difficult to call.
Mix into the pot that SKH need to win to maintain their own title aspirations and it would take a brave man to predict the outcome of that match. The away match at Song Lam Nghe An should be three points in the bag to finish off the season and it’ll certainly be interesting to see if that’s enough to seal it for them.
2nd – Ha Noi
Every Ha Noi fan would have been watching the Quang Nam vs Thanh Quang Ninh game with great interest as they all knew that if the away side had taken all three points then it was pretty much Ha Noi’s to lose when you factor in the ten-goal swing that would have been required.
It wasn’t to be and it really has set up a finale to end all finales, on the other hand though, it could have been over long ago, but Ha Noi failed to buck their ideas up on their travels and still only have three away wins to their name all season and that could well be something they live to regret.
Remaining Fixtures:
Quang Nam (H) | Than Quang Ninh (A)
In what is the biggest game of the season by a country mile, Ha Noi face Quang Nam at Hang Day Stadium knowing that a win will put them back above Quang Nam and put them firmly in the driver's seat when they travel to Than Quang Ninh.
A draw against Quang Nam will mean they will be banking on Quang Nam dropping points on the final day of the season and if they were to lose to Quang Nam then they will be out of the title race and fighting for the runners-up spot at best. Providing they dispatch Quang Nam, a repeat of the 3-2 victory over Than Quang Ninh will be enough to see them crowned Champions for the second year running.
1st - Quang Nam
An 80th-minute penalty is what gave Quang Nam the win against Than Quang Ninh and just how vital could that prove come the final whistle being blown on the 25th of November. Going into the final two weekends of the season they know exactly what they need to do to win the league which is exactly the position they would have hoped to be in when the season kicked off back in January.
Quang Nam, who got promoted in 2013 to the top division of Vietnamese football, are on the hunt for their first top league title and it would fall somewhat romantically in the year they celebrate their 20th anniversary of being founded.
Quang Nam’s record this season is incredibly bizarre, they are unbeaten at home, yet they’ve picked up more points on the road; this is because, despite their unbeaten home status, they have only won four out of twelve compared to the eight that they have won on the road.
Remaining Fixtures:
Ha Noi (A) | Ho Chi Minh City (H)
When you look at the fact they have won their last five away games in the league scoring fourteen in the process, you really do have to fancy Quang Nam to do a job on Ha Noi; either way, it will be a mouthwatering contest with the winner taking the spoils. Quang Nam can seal the title on the 19th if they beat Ha Noi and FLC Thanh Hoa fail to beat Sanna Khanh Hoa, anything other than a Quang Nam win and it goes to the final day.
It has been a superb season in Vietnam this year and you can only hope that next season brings more of the same.
