Round 5 of the V-League 2025/2026: Nam Định falters in the title race

The loss in the crucial clash with CAHN led to Nam Định slowly slipping back in the title competition after five rounds.

The highlight of round 5 in V.League 1-2025/26 was the showdown between reigning champions Thép Xanh Nam Định and Công an Hà Nội at Thiên Trường Stadium. Once again, striker Leo Artur demonstrated his scoring knack here, following the same pattern originating from a well-coordinated play with his teammate Alan Grafite.

In the second half, it was Alan who sealed the match with a goal that finalized the 2-0 scoreline after an assist from Quang Hải, helping Công an Hà Nội strengthen their position near the top of the standings.

Meanwhile, V-League newcomer Ninh Bình finally saw their winning streak in the LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 ended when they had to play away at the notoriously tough Lạch Tray Stadium of Hải Phòng. Hoàng Đức and his teammates twice took the lead but were unable to maintain the advantage.

This result means that although Ninh Bình still holds the top spot on the league table, Công an Hà Nội have caught up to them on points. In the earliest match of round 5, Hà Nội hosted Đông Á Thanh Hoá in an effort to secure their first win of the new season. Despite falling behind early, the capital team made a remarkable comeback to win 2-1 and earn their first three points.

However, not all home teams managed to claim full points like Hà Nội in round 5 of V.League 1-2025/26. At Vinh Stadium, Sông Lam Nghệ An seemed certain to win as they led Công an TP.HCM 2-0 in the first half and created numerous scoring chances.

Yet, at the most challenging moment for the visitors, captain and striker Tiến Linh shone with a goal that reduced the deficit to 1-2, sparking a stunning comeback for Công an TP.HCM, who ultimately won the match 3-2 under coach Lê Huỳnh Đức.

Similarly, SHB Đà Nẵng also staged a successful comeback at Bình Dương against hosts Becamex TP.HCM. Led by coach Lê Đức Tuấn, the team fell behind early, had a penalty denied by VAR, but also benefited from VAR intervention to avoid conceding, finally scoring a decisive goal in the final minutes to secure a highly valuable 3 points.