Crisis at Thanh Hoa FC: When the goalkeeper has to play as a striker in the V-League.

The 1-3 defeat against league leaders Hanoi Police (CAHN) in the rescheduled match of Round 10 of the V-League 2025/26 on the evening of February 24th has put Thanh Hoa FC in a precarious situation. Beyond simply losing, this match clearly illustrates the severe personnel crisis that the Thanh Hoa team is currently facing.

Personnel tragedy: The reserve list only has 5 players.

Entering the match against CAHN, Thanh Hoa's squad list consisted of only 16 players. Notably, there were only 5 names on the substitutes' bench, including 2 goalkeepers. This severe shortage left coach Mai Xuan Hop with no options in terms of tactical changes or squad rotation.

The deadlock reached its peak in the final minutes of the match, when the key players were exhausted, forcing the Thanh Hoa coaching staff to make a rare decision in professional football: bringing in reserve goalkeeper Y Êli Niê to play as a striker. The image of a goalkeeper trying to support the attack perfectly reflected a team whose strength had been depleted to the extreme.

A cry for help from those involved.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, coach Mai Xuan Hop could not hide his helplessness. He shared concerns about the worrying health condition of his players, as many had to take to the field while not in optimal physical condition."The current situation is very difficult. We have players with fevers who are still sidelined, and players with knee injuries who are still trying to play. We only have 11 players available, and we even have to consider bringing in the goalkeeper to help if needed.""The young strategist said.

The core issue lies in the FIFA ban preventing the team from signing new players. Coach Mai Xuan Hop emphasized that the club is racing against time to resolve this legal hurdle before the transfer window closes on March 17th. He asserted that if they had a full squad, the outcome of the match against CAHN could have been very different.

Panic ensued in the locker room.

Not only the coaching staff, but the players are also going through a period of psychological crisis. Veteran midfielder Le Quoc Phuong publicly shared his worries on social media with the following status update:"We're completely exhausted. Please, someone save us!".

Quoc Phuong expressed his fear about the long road ahead in the V-League if this makeshift solution continues. He further shared the pressure of dealing with injuries and suspensions in a squad that is too thin, and hoped for a timely solution before the March 17 deadline.

The challenge in the relegation battle.

Currently, Thanh Hoa is ranked 12th in the V-League standings. With their current form and squad situation, the gap with the relegation zone could narrow at any time. Statistics show that the inability to rotate the squad is putting key players of the Thanh Hoa team at a higher risk of fatigue and injury than ever before.

Thanh Hoa's battle to avoid relegation is predicted to be fraught with difficulties. The team's only hope now is to definitively resolve its legal issues with FIFA in order to sign new players and salvage a season that is gradually slipping out of control.