When the V-League enters a dramatic phase.

First of all, the team currently leading the table, Nam Dinh Steel Green after 9 rounds (22 points), could not withstand the fierce attack of the home team Maryland Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, despite taking an early lead and ultimately losing 1-2. Notably, this was the second defeat for the team from Nam Dinh (previously losing to Binh Duong in round 6). This shows that, when facing teams in the top 6 of the V-League, it is not easy for Nam Dinh Steel Green to get 3 points, or even 1 point, as a foundation in the long race.

Meanwhile, Meryland Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, despite having just suffered a defeat against Song Lam Nghe An at Vinh Stadium, quickly regained their composure, controlled the game, and knew how to come back against their opponent, reclaiming 4th place in the provisional standings with 19 points, just 3 points behind the leader, equivalent to one win.

However, the 2023/2024 V-League season is unfolding with the cool, solid performance of two strong teams: Dong A Thanh Hoa and Binh Duong. In round 10, Dong A Thanh Hoa narrowly defeated Hai Phong FC 3-2 in a match with VAR, and it was VAR that "saved" the home team from a dramatic, exciting, and thrilling draw. Dong A Thanh Hoa currently has 20 points, but has only played 9 matches, so the challenge for the top spot is a real possibility for the team from Thanh Hoa. With their current strength, Coach Popov and his players could pull off an upset in the upcoming rounds; let's patiently wait and see.

With 20 points after 10 rounds, Binh Duong returns this season with renewed strength, while key players like Tien Linh and Ngoc Hai remain merely "luxury reserves". The team from Binh Duong recently secured a lucky but well-deserved victory against hosts The Cong Viettel, who are consistently falling further down the league table (9 points, ranked 12th).

People are picturing a team with a long tradition, the team of the 2021 and 2023 Golden Ball winner Nguyen Hoang Duc, gradually, step by step, heading towards… relegation. This is a real concern not only for the military team but also for the Vietnamese national team, which includes national team players like Hoang Duc, Thanh Binh, Duc Chien, Tien Anh… If they perform so poorly at their clubs, what hope is there for them to excel and be effective when called up to the national team, especially in the upcoming do-or-die matches?

The encouraging progress of mid-table teams in the V-League, such as Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Song Lam Nghe An, is also noteworthy. Hong Linh Ha Tinh has just had three consecutive wins, accumulating a total of 12 points after 10 rounds, which is truly commendable. Their neighbor, Song Lam Nghe An, with its youthful energy and determination, is also gradually moving up from the bottom to the middle of the table, avoiding being relegated to the very bottom.

Teams that were once "noisy" like Hai Phong, Hanoi, and The Cong Viettel are struggling this season, occupying positions from 9th to 12th, the bottom group. The two Hanoi teams have spent a lot of money and effort on coaching positions but are still unable to find a truly stable and effective manager.

Hai Phong still has coach Chu Dinh Nghiem, but the team hasn't been strengthened or revamped, making it difficult for them to go the distance and achieve anything significant. However, the biggest challenge right now is for the coastal team Khanh Hoa, because bottom-placed Hoang Anh Gia Lai will be reinforced to avoid relegation in a highly strategic game that many have already witnessed. Quang Nam may not have ample resources, but their balanced squad makes it difficult for others to overtake them in this exciting and captivating race.

As expected, the drama in the V-League is becoming increasingly apparent with each round. No team has absolute dominance after 10 rounds; the main thing is which team has a favorable or difficult schedule and whether they can overcome and capitalize on it. Top teams like Nam Dinh Steel, Thanh Hoa East Asia, Binh Duong… will have to be wary of the rapid progress of Hanoi Police under Kiatisuk and Hanoi FC under Daiki. Will Meryland Quy Nhon Binh Dinh be able to maintain the necessary stability, while coach Duc Thang is at risk of leaving his familiar home, The Cong Viettel?

And in the V-League, things are unpredictable, as the climax, peak, and turning point haven't really arrived yet. It's only just begun with the league leaders Thép Xanh Nam Định suffering a defeat, and some strong teams like Hà Nội FC and Công an Hà Nội only now making their presence felt?