V-League opens hotly, CAHN team and The Cong Viettel only have 1 point

Attractive V-League

At Hang Day Stadium yesterday, August 15, both coaches Mano Polking and Velizar Popov did not need to probe when they actively urged their players to play high-flying, open-minded attacking football.

The quality of a series of national players and the excellent foreign players of the two teams helped the match take place at a dizzying speed. In the 3rd minute, player Truong Tien Anh had an accurate cross for new player Lucao to head in to open the score for the away team The Cong Viettel . But once again, the bravery of Quang Hai and the home team's stars such as Viet Anh, Dinh Trong, Adou Minh, Alan, Artur, Thanh Long, Van Duc... helped the Hanoi Police Club (CAHN) gradually dominate the game.

The versatile playing style with the ability to control the ball helped CAHN Club put pressure on The Cong Viettel to defend, forcing coach Popov to withdraw Van Khang and replace him with left-back Tuan Tai to protect the defense. CAHN Club's relentless efforts helped them equalize 1-1, when Dinh Trong crossed from outside the penalty area for Alan to finish with one touch, breaking the net of goalkeeper Van Phong in the 22nd minute. Looking at the National Super Cup (won 3-2 against Nam Dinh Club) and the opening match of the V-League against another very strong opponent, The Cong Viettel, it can be seen that coach Mano Polking is leaving a very strong mark. The ball control rate (61.4% compared to 38.6% of The Cong Viettel), shots (14 - 8), number of passes (435 - 273)... are completely superior, showing the formidable attacking power of CAHN Club.

Photo: Minh Tu

The opening match of V-League 2025 - 2026 was truly an impressive debut, when the two most talented coaches in Vietnam at the moment, Mano Polking of CAHN Club and Velizar Popov of The Cong Viettel, together demonstrated their strategic skills. While Mr. Polking continuously made substitutions to boost the attacking power, Mr. Popov, on the contrary, proactively adjusted to make the midfield more solid. Even in most of the second half, The Cong Viettel played humbly, lowering their formation, but in fact, they had a firmer grasp of the initiative in their playing style. The army team no longer played aggressively as Mr. Popov's usual forte, but showed a more realistic and solid face. This is a positive signal in the season when The Cong Viettel aims to compete for the championship.

The opening match of V-League 2025 - 2026 ended in a 1-1 draw, with the number of fouls skyrocketing in the second half, showing the fierce nature of the confrontation between rivals from the same city. With a strong force and 2 very unique playing styles, both CAHN and The Cong Viettel teams promise to be the top candidates for the championship race alongside Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh FC or Hanoi Club. In particular, the very high quality of foreign players of the teams promises an extremely attractive and worth-watching season.