Hanoi Police beat Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, the relegation group benefits
Before the make-up match of round 20 of V.League 2024/25, many fans were worried that Hanoi Police would go easy on Quy Nhon Binh Dinh. But the reality on the field was completely opposite.
Fans' concerns are well-founded.Hanoi Policeare missing four key players due to their busy training with the National Team, including goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh and midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai. Meanwhile, their opponent Quy Nhon Binh Dinh is more thirsty for points than ever in the relegation race.
Not only lacking in personnel, the police team also faces doubts from the public, as their squad includes many players who used to play for Quy Nhon Binh Dinh. Names such as Nguyen Van Duc, Tran Dinh Trong, Leonardo Artur and Alan Sebastiao were once pillars at Quy Nhon Stadium and now play for Hanoi Police.
Therefore, many neutral audiences questioned the fighting spirit of these players when facing their old team - especially in the context that the team from the land of Vo is in a "back-to-back" position.
However, what happened on the field dispelled all doubts. In the first 15 minutes, Hanoi Police surprised everyone by taking a 2-0 lead, and it is worth mentioning that both goals were scored by the former Quy Nhon Binh Dinh duo – Leonardo Artur and Alan Sebastiao.
Not stopping there, in the second half, these two players continued to shine, each scoring another goal, thereby ending the match with a resounding 5-1 victory for the Police team.
The victory with the personal mark of the players who used to be attached to Quy Nhon Stadium is a strong answer about professionalism. They played for their current shirt and showed the true spirit of fair-play in football. Coach Alexandre Polking has reason to be satisfied with the performance of his students, especially when his team is missing 4 pillars in the starting lineup.
The three points earned help Hanoi Police temporarily surpass The Cong Viettel to take 3rd place on the rankings with 1 point more than their opponent. The door to winning a medal this season is wide open for coach Polking and his team, if they maintain their form in the last 2 rounds.
Not only giving themselves an advantage in the championship race, Hanoi Police's victory also indirectly fueled the group of teams that are struggling to stay in the V.League, including SHB Da Nang,Lam River Nghe Anand Quang Nam Club. These are the teams that are ranked right above Quy Nhon Binh Dinh with a not too big gap in points. The defeat of the team from the land of Vo in the last round helped the direct competitors temporarily maintain their positions, thereby maintaining their advantage before the last two tense rounds.
Among these, Quang Nam Club is the team with the biggest advantage when the gap between them and the bottom group is 4 points. Just need to win one more victory or have a favorable result in 1 of the 2 remaining rounds, the Quang Nam team can completely rest assured to stay in the highest playground of Vietnamese football next season.
In another position, Song Lam Nghe An is also holding the right to decide when it is 2 points ahead of the two teams at the bottom of the table. Notably, in the penultimate round, the Nghe team will face Hoang Anh Gia Lai, a team that has been safe this season. If they get favorable results, coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team can completely decide their fate before the final round.
As for SHB Da Nang, the advantage of the Han River team is only the head-to-head record compared to Quy Nhon Binh Dinh. The Han River team must make maximum effort in the last two matches against Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Song Lam Nghe An.
With a schedule that is considered "difficult", the most feasible goal at this time for coach Le Duc Tuan and his students is probably 13th place - a ranking that will bring them into a life-and-death play-off match to compete for relegation with a representative from the first division.
On the contrary, this defeat made Quy Nhon Binh Dinh's situation more dangerous than ever. With a loss to Hanoi Police, the team from the land of Vo only has 2 matches left to hold on to hope of staying in V.League.
The “life and death” match with Ho Chi Minh City Club at Thong Nhat Stadium in the penultimate round is considered pivotal. If they do not win all 3 points, coach Tran Minh Chien and his team will have to enter the final match with terrible pressure when facing Hanoi Club – a nightmare for underdog teams.
Currently, the gap between the bottom teams is extremely tight. Every point can decide the fate of the whole season. Therefore, not only the championship race but also the relegation battle is equally "hot". Unexpected scenarios can completely happen in the last two rounds, where every goal, every move will be vital for the teams.
Clear,V.League2024/25 is coming to an end with the most intense and dramatic matches. And fans have the right to expect an emotional ending - where victory is only reserved for the truly brave and deserving teams.
