Hà Nội FC have fired Japanese coach Makoto Teguramori. — Photo bongda24h.vn

 Football

HÀ NỘI — A rocky start to the 2025-26 season has ended with Japanese coach Makoto Teguramori stepping down as head coach of Hà Nội FC.

Teguramori’s departure, announced on the club’s official homepage on Tuesday, comes after a string of disappointing results that dashed hopes of an early championship push.

After three V.League 1 matches, Hà Nội are yet to register a win, falling 1-2 to HCM City Police Club, drawing 0-0 with Hoàng Anh Gia Lai and suffering a heavy defeat (2-4) in the capital derby against Hà Nội Police. Their struggles extended into the National Cup with a narrow 0-1 loss to Thể Công - Viettel at Hàng Đẫy Stadium on September 14, resulting in an early exit.

Reflecting on the season’s rocky start, Teguramori said, "Perhaps the achievements of the previous season led to a subjective mentality within the team, resulting in a disappointing start to this year's campaign."

Teguramori joined Hà Nội FC during the second half of the 2024-25 season, guiding the team to a runners-up finish in the national league. A former midfielder for Kashima Antlers and NEC Yamagata, he began his coaching career at Vegalta Sendai and led the Japanese U23 team to victory at the 2016 AFC U23 Championship.

In the interim, Technical Director Yusuke Adachi, a seasoned coach who has been with the club since June 2025, will take charge. His immediate challenge is to secure a positive result in the V.League 1 rematch against Thể Công - Viettel this weekend. VNS