Round 6 of the 2025/26 First Division: Continuing the Pursuit

The battle for the First Division title stays exciting with Đồng Nai maintaining their chase behind Khacoto Khánh Hòa.

Khatoco Khánh Hòa's victory over Xuân Thiện Phú Thọ on November 1st has significantly increased the pressure on the remaining contenders playing on November 2nd. Under the urgent need to win and avoid falling behind, only Trường Tươi Đồng Nai and Quy Nhơn United secured full 3 points, while Quảng Ninh and Bắc Ninh stumbled at their home grounds.

Trường Tươi Đồng Nai faced a tough match against Thanh Niên TP.HCM. Coach Việt Thắng’s squad was repeatedly trailing and struggled at times against the home team’s youthful energy and determination. It wasn’t until the 74th minute that Minh Vương and teammates equalized at 2-2. Then at the 85th minute, Trường Tươi Đồng Nai took the lead 3-2, before Hồ Thanh Minh sealed the 4-2 victory in stoppage time at 90+5 minutes.

Though it was hard-fought, Coach Việt Thắng’s team accomplished an important mission by earning all 3 points to stay right behind Khatoco Khánh Hòa (14 points vs. 15 points). Starting this season strong, the coastal Nha Trang team is showing excellent form, holding the top spot with a streak of 5 wins (no draws, 1 loss). They force the top contenders into a chasing position.

Quảng Ninh and Bắc Ninh did not enjoy the same success as Trường Tươi Đồng Nai. At home, Bắc Ninh lost 0-2 to Đại học Văn Hiến. Quảng Ninh fared slightly better by salvaging a point with a 1-1 draw against Long An, although their aim was a full 3 points.

These disappointing results have left Quảng Ninh and Bắc Ninh trailing behind in the race, with the gap widening against the top team. Given Khatoco Khánh Hòa’s strong form, the resilience of the star-studded Trường Tươi Đồng Nai squad, and the steady rise of Quy Nhơn United, Quảng Ninh (10 points) and Bắc Ninh (9 points) face considerable challenges in breaking into the top positions on the leaderboard.

Quy Nhơn United secured a crucial 3-1 win over TP.HCM, moving closer to the top tier (currently 4th with 10 points, just behind TP.HCM’s 11 points). This marks their second consecutive victory, boosting morale ahead of the upcoming “big match” against Trường Tươi Đồng Nai at Bình Phước in Round 7.

At the bottom group, the competition remains intense as these clubs are tightly packed, separated by only 1-3 points. Thanh Niên TP.HCM temporarily holds the last place with 2 points, but given their current form, they are ready to “explode” at any moment. Đồng Tháp and Long An sit above with 3 and 4 points respectively. Xuân Thiện Phú Thọ occupies 9th place with 5 points. Thus, a single win or loss could change the rankings among these teams...