Thanh Hoa and SLNA create a sensation in the V-League: A victory of overcoming adversity.

Round 13 of the V-League 2025-2026 witnessed significant changes as Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) and Thanh Hoa both pulled off surprises against stronger opponents. These victories were not only significant in terms of points, but also affirmed the resilience of the teams when pushed into the most difficult situations.

Thanh Hoa: Victory from a depleted squad

The story in Thanh Hoa is seen as a symbol of the struggle for survival. Traveling to the away game with a severely depleted squad, coach Mai Xuan Hop only had 17 registered players, including two reserve goalkeepers. The shortage of personnel was so severe that the coaching staff had to consider moving goalkeeper Trinh Xuan Hoang to play as a striker.

Despite having only about 12 fit players, the Thanh Hoa team played with great courage against the Ho Chi Minh City Police FC. Two long-range shots from Damoth Thongkhamsavath – a Laotian national team player – secured three points more precious than gold. The moment the players collapsed onto the field in celebration after the final whistle showed that for them, every victory at this point was a week to maintain their hopes of avoiding relegation.

SLNA defeated The Cong Viettel right at Hang Day Stadium.

In other news, SLNA sent a strong message with a crushing 4-1 victory over The Cong Viettel. Taking advantage of their opponent's confusion due to the absence of coach Popov, the Nghe An team exploited every gap to score. Notably, even when the opponent had a man advantage for almost the last 30 minutes, SLNA held firm and scored another goal. This was their first away win of the season, a huge morale boost for the young Nghe An team.

Financial worries and harsh realities

However, after those moments of triumph, the harsh reality of finances remains the biggest obstacle. A lack of budget means teams cannot maintain squad depth. A fragile team like Thanh Hoa currently is like a candle in the wind; without guaranteed resources, the points just earned could easily become short-lived memories before a long and stressful journey ahead.

Bottom-of-the-table situation: SHB Da Nang is in a critical condition.

While Hoang Anh Gia Lai wisely seized the opportunity to climb to 8th place with 14 points, temporarily moving away from the relegation zone, the bottom of the table remains a chaotic battleground. Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, Nam Dinh, and PVF-CAND are still struggling to find stability, even though PVF-CAND just ended a 12-match winless streak.

The most alarming team right now is SHB Da Nang. The team from the Han River is languishing at the bottom of the league table with only 7 points after 12 matches, along with a streak of 3 consecutive defeats. Without groundbreaking changes, Da Nang is becoming the strongest candidate for relegation this season.