Football

Hà Nội Police will host Ninh Bình this weekend as the V.League 1 returns on February 1. Photo courtesy of Hà Nội Police FC

HÀ NỘI — After a three-month pause, V.League 1 returns on Sunday, with a much-anticipated clash between the top two clubs, Hà Nội Police and Ninh Bình, the pick of the fixtures in the capital. The lengthy break followed the call-up of national players for international competitions since last November.

Domestic football is expected to draw large numbers of spectators eager to watch and support their U23 heroes, who recently won the SEA Games title at home and claimed the Asian Cup bronze medal.

Star striker Nguyễn Đình Bắc is tipped to be the focal point as he, together with defenders Phạm Lý Đức and Phạm Minh Phúc, lines up alongside national team players Nguyễn Quang Hải, Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh and goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip in the battle for top spot, a position long dominated by Ninh Bình.

The visitors will arrive with a formidable squad often dubbed the ""Vietnamese Los Galacticos", including three-time Golden Ball winner Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, national goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm, U23 stars Nguyễn Lê Phát and NguyễnQuốc Việt and the new trio of Nguyễn Thái Sơn, Lê Văn Thuận and Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ, who have just returned from the U23 Asian tournament in Saudi Arabia.

Nguyễn Xuân Bắc (No 7) will back in action in the domestic league after shining internationally. — Photo courtesy of VFF

The match is being billed as this season’s V-League super classic, with the Police, former champions with a rich tradition, and Ninh Bình, a new force in the league, both unbeaten since the start of the campaign.

Ninh Bình lead the table with 27 points from 11 matches, while the Police sit second, one point behind their visitors but having played one match fewer.

Ahead of the fixture, the Police were buoyed by a clean sweep of monthly awards, being named Best Club of November, with Mano Polking honoured as Best Coach, Đức as Best Player and Quốc Việt winning Best Goal.

However, they suffered an early exit from the regional AFF Clubs Championship after a 2-0 defeat to Malaysia’s Selangor FC on January 28.

Putting the disappointment behind him, coach Polking said: “Now we really need to focus, because on Sunday we have a crucial match in the V-League, where we could climb to the top of the standings.

“We need to forget about this tournament... That’s the team’s focus from now on,” the German coach said.

U23 stars will also be on show elsewhere as SHB Đà Nẵng, featuring Nguyễn Phi Hoàng and Nguyễn Đức Anh, visit Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, home to talented goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên.

Defender Nguyễn Nhật Minh will help Hải Phòng host U23 captain Khuất Văn Khang and Nguyễn Công Phương of Thể Công-Viettel at Lạch Tray Stadium.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Thành Nhàn, Nguyễn Xuân Bắc and Võ Anh Quân of PVF-CAND will welcome HCM City Police, with midfielder Nguyễn Thái Quốc Cường, in Hưng Yên Province.

Hà Nội FC’s Phạm Đình Hải and Lê Văn Hà will travel to Nghệ An to face Sông Lam Nghệ An. — VNS