V.League 2022: A four-way race?

Based on what has been shown, it's not difficult for experts and fans to recognize the beginning of a four-way race between the two capital city teams, Hanoi FC and Viettel, and the two central region teams, Song Lam Nghe An and Binh Dinh, while the team owned by Mr. Duc is being... overlooked. Currently, it's a disjointed and unpredictable group, despite its ambitions, especially given the rather boastful statements from the team's owner.

A training session of SLNA Club. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh.

First of all, winning the Hai Phong Four-Team Cup despite the absence of Quang Hai shows that the capital city team is focusing its efforts on reclaiming what it lost in the past two years. The absence of Quang Hai is certainly undesirable, but with the reinforcements, especially players from the Vietnam national team and a host of U23 Vietnam stars, the capital city team is strong enough to challenge all the remaining teams, even though some may still mention the potential allies of the owner of this promising and passionate team.

The U23 Vietnam stars included in Hanoi FC's squad are Van Chuan, Van Xuan (injured), Van Truong, Viet Anh, Tien Long, Xuan Tu, Van Dat, Van Toi… alongside stars from the Vietnam national team such as Tan Truong, Duy Manh, Thanh Chung, Duc Huy, Van Vy, Tuan Hai… plus a formidable lineup of foreign players, such as the prolific striker V. Siladi, who will pose a constant threat to any powerful team, including the three aforementioned contenders. Hanoi FC's current problem lies in their defense, having conceded goals in their two most recent tense matches: against Hai Phong in the Four-Team Cup (2-2) and the rescheduled match from round 3 against Nam Dinh (1-1). With Dinh Trong and Duy Manh still unavailable, the central defensive pairing of Thanh Chung and Van Toi has yet to prove its worth as a replacement.

Meanwhile, Viettel is demonstrating superior strength in the AFC 2022 qualifiers against regional teams. Although center-back Tien Dung has not yet returned, their biggest hope Hoang Duc has not fully recovered after a long period of dedication, and Ngoc Hai and Trong Hoang have returned home, the potential of this military team never diminishes, with the addition of top young talents such as Manh Dung, Thanh Binh, Danh Trung, and possibly Tuan Tai in the near future. While not as explosive or diverse as Hanoi FC, the military team possesses the maturity and resilience of those who always know their opponents and their own strengths, winning by a minimal margin to maximize points.

The newly rich team from Central Vietnam, T. Binh Dinh, is currently showing real ambition, boasting many talented Vietnamese footballers despite not having the abundant youth training resources of their rival SLNA. The match in Round 2 of the V. League 2022 between...Lam River, Nghe An- T.Binh Dinh (1-2) shows that this is a formidable team, gradually forming a real force to challenge the aforementioned potential teams. Any team in the "marching and lining up" process of the tournament will find the best lineup and the most suitable tactics to realize its ambitions.

Two teams from Central Vietnam, coached by young coaches Duc Thang and Huy Hoang, will face off against two coaches from South Korea (Chun Jae - Hanoi FC, Bae Ji-won - Viettel). This will be a fierce battle of wits. The two Central Vietnamese teams, boasting seasoned players from the Vietnamese national team and a few U23 players, will be able to compete against their numerous teammates and rivals from the capital's teams on the Vietnamese football field. This is a highly interesting and anticipated match.

There will be many major changes at SLNA Club in the new season. (Photo: Duc Anh)

This four-horse race will last until November, and all predictions could be disrupted by surprise contenders like Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hai Phong, Saigon FC, or any other dark horse team. Hopefully, these predictions will soon be... shattered by the constant changes in rankings after each round, by the unpredictability of football, and by the rise of a seemingly weak team. But whatever the case, no matter the surprises, there's no way that teams in the heart of Vietnamese football like Hanoi FC or Viettel will fall behind, because the extremely high-quality resources of these teams have been tested at the regional and continental levels recently. Catching up with these teams is no simple or easy task, as for many years they have been the core and mainstays of the Vietnamese National Team and U23 Vietnam, playing a key role in elevating Vietnamese football to a higher level.