Midfielder Tuấn Anh and his teammates at Hoàng Anh Gia Lai aspire to get three points in the upcoming match against HCM City. — Photo VPF

Hà Nội — Nam Định and Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) will face big challenges in the weekend's matches of the V.League 1.

League leaders Nam Định will travel to take on Thanh Hóa, and the pressure is high on coach Vũ Hồng Việt and his team. Nam Định have recently gone through a rough patch, failing to secure a win in their last three matches.

Currently, Nam Định sit at the top of the standings with 39 points, six more than second-placed Bình Dương. However, a defeat against Thanh Hóa, coupled with a Bình Dương victory over Sông Lam Nghệ An, could tighten the title race considerably.

While Nam Định are rated higher than their upcoming opponents, their poor form and the difficulty of playing away from home are expected to pose significant obstacles. Thanh Hóa will be a tough test for the league leaders.

Meanwhile, HAGL will have to travel to face HCM City, a team that have been impressive at home this season. HAGL are coming off a dramatic victory over Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh, but now they face the challenge of taking on an HCM City side desperate for points to improve their league position.

HAGL coach Vũ Tiến Thành is familiar with HCM City, but the home team's strong performances at Thống Nhất Stadium suggest HAGL will face a tough battle in this encounter.

The match between Hà Nội Police and Thể Công Viettel is also expected to draw significant attention from fans. Thể Công Viettel, under coach Đức Thắng, have performed well against strong teams this season and have already defeated Hà Nội Police twice.

Elsewhere, Quảng Nam will host defending champions Hà Nội FC, Khánh Hòa will take on Bình Định, Sông Lam Nghệ An will face Bình Dương, and Hải Phòng will meet Hà Tĩnh. VNS