Before Round 11 of the First Division: Impressive newcomers!

As the first half of the First Division prepares to conclude with Round 11, the most notable impact comes from the newly promoted teams, rather than the league's familiar names.

The opening two matches of Round 11 will take place on March 6th. At Long An's home ground, the host team (8 points) – once a major force in Vietnamese football but currently near the bottom of the table – will welcome the newcomers Xuan Thien Phu Tho (12 points). Despite not being highly rated before the season, the Northwest representative is showing strong determination in the relegation battle.

A 2-0 victory over Ho Chi Minh City FC in the previous round helped Xuan Thien Phu Tho make a strong impression and forced opponents to be wary. Therefore, even playing at home, Long An still faces significant challenges against a highly motivated opponent.

In the other match, the newcomers Quang Ninh (11 points) will face the top contender Truong Tuoi Dong Nai (24 points) at Cam Pha Stadium. The team from the Mining region is in a slump with 5 consecutive winless matches and has fallen to the bottom group. Meanwhile, Dong Nai demonstrates superior strength thanks to a balanced squad and stable form.

On March 7th, there is only one notable match between Ho Chi Minh City FC (17 points) and Van Hien United (15 points). Despite being newcomers, Van Hien United is causing a surprise by temporarily holding 5th place and is on a 5-match unbeaten streak. In contrast, Ho Chi Minh City FC has shown inconsistent form recently with alternating wins and losses, making the "Saigon derby" unpredictable.

The remaining three matches will be played on March 8th. Dong Thap (6 points) will host Bac Ninh FC (19 points), a newcomer making a strong impression with a quality squad and a 3-match winning streak. Meanwhile, Dong Thap has yet to secure a single victory this season and is second from bottom in the table.

In the other two matches, Thanh Nien Ho Chi Minh City FC (3 points) is predicted to face difficulties against Khatoco Khanh Hoa (19 points) due to poor form and unstable team spirit. The remaining match is a "newcomer derby" between Quy Nhon United and PVFCAND Youth Team (both 14 points), where the home team from Vo land is slightly favored thanks to their home advantage – where they have earned 13 out of their 14 points this season.

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Round 10 of the 2025/26 First Division: A thrilling championship race