Striker Nguyễn Công Phượng (left) is ready to help Bình Phước defeat Đà Nẵng in the play-off match on Friday. — Photo nld.com.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Striker Nguyễn Công Phượng is expected to play a crucial role helping Bình Phước defeat Đà Nẵng in the play-off match on Friday, aiming for a chance to advance to V.League 1 next season.

Bình Phước finished second in the first division tournament (V.League 2), while Đà Nẵng ended the national premier league (V.League 1) in 13th place out of 14 teams. If Đà Nẵng lose to Bình Phước, they will be relegated to the first division, while Bình Phước will be promoted to V.League 1.

Star striker Công Phượng wants to help Bình Phước make history by participating in V.League 1 for the first time. Despite suffering his second injury of the season, he returned at a critical moment to prepare his team for this vital match. In the season finale against Long An, Phượng excelled, contributing significantly to a 3-0 victory that secured his team’s runner-up position in the First Division.

Phượng has demonstrated his worth as both a professional and spiritual leader for the club. His experience makes him an even more formidable player, as he can retreat to organise and create plays as a midfielder, in addition to his role as a striker. He has scored seven goals and provided the most assists for Bình Phước this season.

Currently, Công Phượng and his teammates face the challenge of overcoming history. First Division representatives often struggle against clubs in higher divisions. In the 11 play-off matches over the past 20 years, only four lower-ranked clubs have emerged victorious, while V.League 1 teams have claimed seven wins.

In anticipation of this pivotal match, Bình Phước's leadership announced a reward of VNĐ10 billion if the team achieves promotion. This is a rare bonus in the First Division, double the amount recently awarded to Nam Định, the winners of 2024/25 V.League 1, and ten times the runner-up bonus that Bình Phước received from the organisers of V.League 2. This reflects the team's determination and desire to compete in Việt Nam's top tournament.

Meanwhile, Đà Nẵng aimed for a top-five finish in V.League 1 for the 2024/25 season but ended up 13th, forcing them into a play-off match with relegation risks looming. The team has performed poorly since the start of the season, leading to two coaching changes.

The play-off match between Đà Nẵng and Bình Phước is scheduled for 6pm on Friday at Thống Nhất Stadium in HCM City. According to regulations, V.League 1 teams are not allowed to use foreign players in this 'life-or-death' match. VNS