The crack in the Ninh Binh Galaxy: When the star-studded lineup hasn't yet created invincible power.

Ninh Binh FC entered the 2025/26 V.League season with the mindset of a conqueror. With massive investment and a squad likened to a "galaxy" of domestic players, the team from the ancient capital made no secret of its ambition to reach the top of Vietnamese football. However, after the first 13 rounds, cracks began to appear on the glamorous surface of this expensive team.

The numbers speak for themselves, and second place is a very stressful position.

At the end of the first half of the season, Ninh Binh temporarily holds second place in the standings with 27 points. Theoretically, this is a positive result for a team that has just returned to the top. However, upon closer examination of their actual performance, the 27 points figure seems to still not fully reflect the enormous expectations from fans and experts.

Ninh Binh's squad includes many players who have previously competed for the Vietnamese national team and U23 team, combined with experienced foreign players. However, top-level football is not just the sum of outstanding individuals. The gap between a team with many stars and a team with a championship identity remains a problem that coach Gerard Albadalejo Castano has yet to solve.

Tactical analysis: Gaps from a series of failures

Two consecutive defeats against CAHN and especially HAGL have exposed fatal weaknesses in Ninh Binh's operational system. While the loss to CAHN can be seen as a fluke in terms of form, the defeat against HAGL is a costly lesson in terms of tactics.

Most notably, Ninh Binh lacked the ability to penetrate deep defensive blocks (low-block). Despite superior ball control for most of the time, Ninh Binh completely lacked innovative attacking options. Passes were often safe, lacking penetrating passes capable of splitting the opponent's defense. When the pace of play slowed down, opponents easily organized cover and isolated the attacking players of the team from the ancient capital.

Furthermore, Ninh Binh's ability to transition from attack to defense reveals a shortage of players in terms of numbers and team formation. When an individual makes a mistake, the defensive system cannot react quickly enough to compensate, leading to the home team's goal being frequently put under threat from simple counter-attacks by the opponent.

The question of form for Nguyen Hoang Duc and the foreign players.

The center of expectations at Ninh Binh is Nguyen Hoang Duc. The midfielder, a former Vietnamese Golden Ball winner, is expected to be the "controlling hub" and source of creative inspiration for the entire team. However, reality shows that Hoang Duc is struggling to maintain a consistent influence. When the most important link in the midfield is not in peak condition, Ninh Binh's entire system becomes sluggish and easily predictable.

Furthermore, the foreign signings, most notably striker Friday, have yet to show the necessary integration. In professional football, sacrificing individual egos to serve the team's overall style of play is mandatory, especially in a team with so many stars. Assigning players to their preferred roles and building an invisible bond between them is the most urgent task for the coaching staff right now.

A valuable break and a tough test.

The Lunar New Year break in 2026 is a golden opportunity for Ninh Binh FC to review its entire system. This is the time for coach Gerard Albadalejo Castano to correct flaws in the team's operation across all three lines and help key players regain their balance both psychologically and physically.

The real test will come on March 1st, when Ninh Binh embarks on a potentially stormy away match against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. This is not just a game to secure points, but also the most accurate measure of the ambition and character of the "Galactic" Ninh Binh team. If they cannot transform these paper stars into a unified force, the risk of a brilliant season without trophies looms large for the team from the ancient capital.