V-League enters decisive phase with "storm" of injuries

Round 17 of V-League 2024-2025 this weekend, Da Nang Club lost 2 foreign players when hosting Hanoi Police.

Da Nang at risk of relegation

The race for the championship and relegation in this season's V-League is entering a fierce stage. After 16 rounds, Da Nang FC has become the team with the highest risk of relegation as it is continuously at the bottom of the rankings with a gap of 4 points compared to the group above.

After a dismal first leg, the Han River team has prepared quite well in terms of personnel before the second leg. Coach Le Duc Tuan's team replaced foreign players and found their first victory this season. The victory at Quy Nhon Stadium on February 8 also helped the Da Nang Club players relieve pressure and regain their spirit to aim for relegation.

However, the joy was short-lived. Before the 17th round of V-League kicked off, two foreign players Thiago Henrique and Cassio Scheid of Da Nang Club suffered injuries and had to take a long-term leave of absence, making the upcoming journey of the Hoa Xuan team miserable.

Specifically, striker Henrique suffered a dislocated shoulder, had to undergo surgery to fix the bone and needed 1 month to recover. Center-back Scheid suffered a muscle tear and will be out of action for at least 6 weeks. Henrique scored 1 goal in 5 matches for Da Nang, while Scheid is a "steel" center-back in defense, shining with the goal that sealed the 2-1 victory of the Han River team in round 12.

With a thin squad due to injuries, Da Nang Club (left) faces the risk of relegation. Photo: VPF

In April and early May 2025, Mr. Le Duc Tuan and his team will face the top 5 teams in the V-League, namely Hanoi Police, Binh Duong, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa and Viettel. The results of these matches could decide SHB Da Nang's relegation ticket.

Coach Le Duc Tuan said: "The goal of Da Nang Club in the next 5 matches is to try not to lose, accumulate points to narrow the gap with the group above. With our current strength, we aim for a play-off spot to foster a chance of staying in the league. At the end of the season, Da Nang will compete directly with the teams in the same group at the bottom of the rankings, so we will try to get the best results."

Hoang Anh Gia Lai loses its mainstay

Similar to Da Nang, Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club also lost many key players before round 17 of V-League 2024-2025. Due to the poor quality of My Dinh Stadium, young center back Pham Ly Duc suffered a knee injury in the quarter-finals of the National Cup and had to leave the field for at least 1 month.

Ly Duc is in top form, regularly appearing in the defense of the mountain town team since the beginning of the season. Not only is the defense solid, the 22-year-old player also scored 2 goals and was named by coach Kim Sang-sik in the Vietnam national team at FIFA Days in March 2025.

In the context of central defender Jairo playing at a high frequency, not having enough time to rest to recover, the absence of Ly Duc will cause many difficulties for Hoang Anh Gia Lai's defense in the sprint to the finish line. Under the direction of Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh, Hoang Anh Gia Lai builds a tight defensive style of play, making full use of set pieces to score goals. Jairo and Ly Duc are both good "air combat" central defenders, supporting the attack and defense comprehensively.

In the upcoming 4 rounds without Ly Duc, Hoang Anh Gia Lai will compete with the above teams, respectively Binh Duong, Cong An Ha Noi, Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Hai Phong. Coach Le Quang Trai and his team currently have 18 points and are temporarily ranked 11th on the rankings after 16 rounds, 5 points more than the 2 teams at the bottom of the table.

After the FIFA Days in March 2025, many players suffered serious injuries when the V-League returned to play from April 5. Binh Duong lost striker Bui Vi Hao due to a fractured bone and torn ankle ligament. Hanoi Police were without central defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh, striker Nguyen Dinh Bac and defender Vu Van Thanh's ability to play was still uncertain due to injury. The reigning champion Nam Dinh also lost the services of the duo Hendrio and Nguyen Xuan Son in the final stages of the season.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/v-league-vao-giai-doan-quyet-dinh-cung-bao-chan-thuong-196250402205713117.htm