2021 V.League 1

LS V.League 1 – 2021
Season2021
Dates15 January – 2 May 2021
(Remaining matches cancelled)
ChampionsNot awarded
RelegatedNone
Matches played84
Goals scored194 (2.31 per match)
Top goalscorerNguyen Van Toan
Oussou Konan
Rodrigo Dias
(7 goals)
Biggest home winHanoi FC 4–0 Than Quang Ninh
(11 April 2021)
Biggest away winHo Chi Minh City FC 0–3 Hanoi FC
(23 March 2021)
Viettel 0–3 Hoang Anh Gia Lai
(24 March 2021)
Saigon FC 0–3 Nam Dinh FC
(28 March 2021)
Highest scoringHong Linh Ha Tinh 3–5 Dong A Thanh Hoa
(3 April 2021)
Longest winning runHoang Anh Gia Lai
(7 matches)
Longest unbeaten runHoang Anh Gia Lai
(11 matches)
Longest winless runHaiphong FC
(6 matches)
Longest losing runSaigon FC
(5 matches)
Highest attendance20,000
Topenland Binh Dinh 0–1 Viettel
(11 April 2021)
Lowest attendance1,500
Viettel 3–0 Saigon FC
(3 April 2021)
Total attendance465,600
(excluding matches played behind closed doors)
Average attendance6,208
2020
2022
All statistics correct as of complete.

The 2021 V.League 1 (known as the LS V.League 1 for sponsorship reasons) was the 38th season of the V.League 1, the highest division of Vietnamese football and the 21st as a professional league.[1][2]

The season was paused for a third time on 6 May 2021 due to an outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus in the country.[3]

Despite attempts to re-start the season by late November,[4] after a meeting with all teams on August 21, the season was officially cancelled, with no champion determined, and no relegation teams; the slots for the 2022 AFC Champions League and 2022 AFC Cup to be determined at a later stage. Due to cancellation of the league, LS Group was lost sponsors due to issues, and awarded from Sâm Ngọc Linh Kon Tum to sponsors on next season.

Competition format

The league was scheduled to operate in two stages, with the top six teams and bottom 8 teams split into two play-off sections after a single-round robin first stage. The season was cancelled before the completion of the first stage.

Teams

A total of 14 teams contested the league, including 13 sides from the 2020 season and Topenland Binh Dinh promoted from the 2020 V.League 2 season.[5]

Stadiums and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity Previous
season rank
Topenland Binh Dinh Binh Dinh Quy Nhon 15,000 VL2 (1st)
Becamex Binh Duong Binh Duong Go Dau 13,035 VL1 (6th)
SHB Danang Danang Hoa Xuan 20,000 VL1 (9th)
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Gia Lai Pleiku 12,000 VL1 (7th)
Haiphong FC Haiphong Lach Tray 25,000 VL1 (12th)
Hanoi FC Hanoi Hang Day 22,500 VL1 (2nd)
Viettel VL1 (1st)
Hong Linh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh 20,000 VL1 (8th)
Ho Chi Minh City FC Ho Chi Minh City Thong Nhat 16,000 VL1 (5th)
Saigon FC VL1 (3rd)
Nam Dinh FC Nam Dinh Thien Truong 30,000 VL1 (13th)
Song Lam Nghe An Nghe An Vinh 18,000 VL1 (10th)
Than Quang Ninh Quang Ninh Cam Pha 20,000 VL1 (4th)
Dong A Thanh Hoa Thanh Hoa Thanh Hoa 12,000 VL1 (11th)

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer
TopenLand Binh Dinh Nguyễn Đức Thắng Bùi Văn Hiếu Kamito
Becamex Binh Duong Nguyễn Thanh Sơn (caretaker) Pape Omar Faye Kamito
SHB Da Nang Phan Thanh Hùng Đặng Anh Tuấn Kamito
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Kiatisuk Senamuang Lương Xuân Trường Mizuno
Haiphong FC Phạm Anh Tuấn Andre Fagan Jogarbola
Hanoi FC Park Choong-kyun Nguyễn Văn Quyết Jogarbola
Viettel Trương Việt Hoàng Bùi Tiến Dũng FBT
Hong Linh Ha Tinh Nguyễn Thành Công Trần Phi Sơn Kelme
Ho Chi Minh City FC Alexandré Pölking Sầm Ngọc Đức Kelme
Saigon FC Phùng Thanh Phương Daisuke Matsui Made by club
Nam Dinh FC Nguyễn Văn Sỹ Lâm Anh Quang Kelme
Song Lam Nghe An Nguyễn Huy Hoàng (caretaker) Hoàng Văn Khánh Mitre
Than Quang Ninh Hoàng Thọ Phạm Nguyên Sa Joma
Dong A Thanh Hoa Ljupko Petrović Hoàng Đình Tùng Jogarbola

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Duong Minh Ninh
Nguyen Van Dan
Mutual consent November 2020 Pre-season Kiatisuk Senamuang[6] November 2020
Ho Chi Minh City FC Jung Hae-seong Resigned 12 November 2020 Alexandré Pölking 2 December 2020
Dong A Thanh Hoa Mai Xuân Hợp Mutual consent 26 November 2020 Ljupko Petrović 26 November 2020
Nam Dinh FC Pham Hong Phu Mutual consent 14 December 2020 Nguyen Van Sy 14 December 2020
Than Quang Ninh Phan Thanh Hùng Resigned 16 December 2020 Hoang Tho 16 December 2020
Becamex Binh Duong Nguyen Thanh Son Mutual consent 19 December 2020 Phan Thanh Hùng 23 December 2020
Saigon FC Vu Tien Thanh[7] Mutual consent 24 February 2021 4th Masahiro Shimoda[7] 25 February 2021
Saigon FC Masahiro Shimoda[8] Sacked 30 March 2021 11th Phung Thanh Phuong[8] 30 March 2021
Hanoi FC Chu Dinh Nghiem[9] Resigned 3 April 2021 7th Hoang Van Phuc (caretaker)[10] 3 April 2021
Hong Linh Ha Tinh Pham Minh Duc Resigned 12 April 2021 14th Nguyen Thanh Cong 14 April 2021
Becamex Binh Duong Phan Thanh Hung Resigned 14 April 2021 6th Nguyen Thanh Son (caretaker) 14 April 2021
Hanoi FC Hoang Van Phuc (caretaker) End of caretaker spell 20 April 2021 8th Park Choong-kyun[11] 20 April 2021
Song Lam Nghe An Ngo Quang Truong[12] Resigned 30 April 2021 14th Nguyen Huy Hoang (caretaker) 30 April 2021
SHB Danang Le Huynh Duc[13] Resigned 3 May 2021 9th Phan Thanh Hung[14] 3 May 2021

Foreign players

Players name in bold indicates the player was registered after the start of the season.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4
(AFC Player)
Player 5
(Naturalized Vietnamese player)
Former Player
Topenland Binh Dinh Hendrio Rimario Gordon Ahn Byung-keon Tony Le1
Becamex Binh Duong Ali Rabo Pape Omar Faye Victor Mansaray
SHB Danang Janclesio Rafaelson Hedipo
Hedipo
Papa Ibou Kébé
Claudecir
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Washington Brandão Kim Dong-su Damir Memović Suleiman Abdullahi
Steven Dang1
Haiphong FC Andre Fagan Jermie Lynch Joseph Mpande Adriano Schmidt1
Andrey Nguyen 1
Martin Lo1
Diego Silva
Hanoi FC Bruno Cantanhede Geovane Magno Moses Oloya
Viettel Bruno Matos Caíque Pedro Paulo Jahongir Abdumuminov Luizão
Hong Linh Ha Tinh Chevaughn Walsh Ismahil Akinade Kelly Kester Claudecir
Ho Chi Minh City FC Brendon Lucas Patrick Leonardo João Paulo Lee Nguyen1 Papé Diakité
Dário Junior
Junior Barros
Saigon FC Thiago Melo Papa Ibou Kébé Papé Diakité Daisuke Matsui Gastón Merlo Hiroyuki Takasaki
Woo Sang-ho
Nam Dinh FC Rodrigo Dias Wesley dos Santos Oussou Konan Gramoz Kurtaj
Song Lam Nghe An Felipe Martins Peter Samuel Onyekachi Igor Jelić
Bruno Henrique
Than Quang Ninh Diogo Pereira Eydison Gustavo Geoffrey Kizito Patrick Leonardo
Dong A Thanh Hoa Zé Paulo Louis Ewonde Gramoz Kurtaj Samson Kayode Chevaughn Walsh
  • ^1 Naturalized players whose parents or grandparents were born in Vietnam, thus are regarded as local players.

First phase

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Hoang Anh Gia Lai 12 9 2 1 23 9 +14 29 Qualification for AFC Champions League Group stage[a]
2 Viettel 12 8 2 2 16 9 +7 26 Qualification for AFC Cup Group stage[a]
3 Than Quang Ninh 12 6 1 5 12 11 +1 19 Withdrawn after the season's abandonment.[b]
4 Nam Dinh FC 12 6 0 6 23 21 +2 18
5 Dong A Thanh Hoa 12 5 2 5 18 15 +3 17
6 Becamex Binh Duong 12 5 2 5 14 17 −3 17
7 Hanoi FC 12 5 1 6 17 14 +3 16
8 Topenland Binh Dinh 12 4 4 4 10 9 +1 16
9 SHB Danang 12 5 1 6 11 11 0 16
10 Hong Linh Ha Tinh 12 4 3 5 16 17 −1 15
11 Ho Chi Minh City FC 12 4 2 6 14 17 −3 14
12 Haiphong FC 12 4 2 6 7 15 −8 14
13 Saigon FC 12 4 1 7 6 14 −8 13
14 Song Lam Nghe An 12 3 1 8 7 15 −8 10
Source: VPF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Play-off; 6) Drawing of lots
Notes:
  1. ^ a b After the abandonment of the season due to effects from COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, it was decided that the league's first placed team would take the AFC Champions League slot,[15] with the AFC Cup slots to go to the second and third placed teams.[16]
  2. ^ omitted from V-League competitions for 2022, after loss of their main sponsor and other financial difficulties.[17]


Positions by round

This table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches.

Team ╲ Round123456789101112
Becamex Binh Duong3261066856566
Dong A Thanh Hoa121271113141089785
Haiphong FC5152589111210912
Hanoi FC1414129347958107
Hoang Anh Gia Lai1183411111111
Ho Chi Minh City FC1061171212131011121311
Hong Linh Ha Tinh91314141413141314141210
Nam Dinh FC151013107567634
Saigon FC69481111121413131113
SHB Danang431143344459
Song Lam Nghe An8101312710111210111414
Than Quang Ninh272622223343
Topenland Binh Dinh749589678978
Viettel13118395432222
Source: Table by round (in Vietnamese)

Results

Home \ Away BBD DTH HAI HAN HOA HCM HHT NDI SGN SDN SNA TQN TBD VFC
Becamex Binh Duong 1–0 0–1 [a] 4–3 1–0 1–0
Dong A Thanh Hoa 3–0 1–2[b] 1–1 3–0[c] 1–3 1–0 1–1
Haiphong FC 0–2 0–2 3–2 0–0 2–0 0–2 [a]
Hanoi FC 1–2 3–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 0–1 0–1
Hoang Anh Gia Lai 2–2 1–0 3–0 4–3 2–1 2–1
Ho Chi Minh City FC 3–0 0–3 2–0 1–0 3–0 1–3 1–1
Hong Linh Ha Tinh 4–2[b] 3–5 1–0 0–0 3–2 1–2 1–1
Nam Dinh FC 3–0 3–2 [a] 1–0 1–0 1–2
Saigon FC [a] 0–0 1–0 1–0 0–3 1–0[c]
SHB Danang 2–0 0–2 1–0 1–0 1–2 1–2 1–2
Song Lam Nghe An 2–0 [a] 0–2 1–0 1–1 0–1
Than Quang Ninh 1–0 2–0 [a] 2–0 0–1 1–0 0–1
Topenland Binh Dinh 0–0 0–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 0–1
Viettel 3–1 0–1 0–3 [a] 3–0 2–1
Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 2021. Source: Vietnam Professional Football
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
  2. ^ a b Played behind closed doors due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City and Bac Giang province.
  3. ^ a b Played behind closed doors due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Hai Duong and Quang Ninh provinces.[18]

Season progress

Team ╲ Round123456789101112
Becamex Binh DuongWWLLWDLWLWLD
Dong A Thanh HoaLDWLLLWWDWLW
HaiphongWWLWLLLLDDWL
Hanoi FCLLWWWDLLWLLW
Hoang Anh Gia LaiLWWDWWWWWWWD
Ho Chi Minh CityLWLWLLLWDLDW
Hong Linh Ha TinhLLLDWDLDLWWW
Nam DinhWLLLWWWLLWWL
SaigonWLWLLLLLWDWL
SHB Da NangWWWLLWWLDLLL
Song Lam Nghe AnDLLWWLLLWLLL
Than Quang NinhWLWLWWWWLLLD
Topenland Binh DinhDWLWLDWDLLWD
ViettelLDWWLWWWWWDW
Source: VPF
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose

Season statistics

As of end of season

Scoring

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nguyễn Văn Toàn Hoang Anh Gia Lai 7
Oussou Konan Nam Dinh
Rodrigo Dias
4 Eydison Than Quang Ninh 6
Geovane Hanoi
Nguyễn Công Phượng Hoang Anh Gia Lai
Nguyễn Tiến Linh Becamex Binh Duong
Rafaelson SHB Da Nang
9 Lee Nguyen Ho Chi Minh City 5
Phan Văn Đức Song Lam Nghe An

Source: Soccerway

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Rafaelson SHB Da Nang Dong A Thanh Hoa 3–1 (A) 29 March 2021
Nguyễn Tiến Linh Becamex Binh Duong Nam Dinh 4–3 (H) 8 April 2021

Clean sheets

Rank Player Club Clean
sheets
1 Huỳnh Tuấn Linh Hoang Anh Gia Lai 6
2 Nguyễn Hoài Anh Than Quang Ninh 5
Nguyễn Thanh Diệp Dong A Thanh Hoa
Trần Nguyên Mạnh Viettel
5 Đinh Xuân Việt Nam Dinh 4
Phạm Văn Phong Saigon
Nguyễn Tuấn Mạnh SHB Danang
Trần Đình Minh Hòang Topenland Binh Dinh
Trần Đức Cường Becamex Binh Duong
10 4 players 3

Awards

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Goal of the Month
Manager Club Player Club Player Club
January/March Kiatisuk Senamuang Hoang Anh Gia Lai Nguyễn Văn Tòan Hoang Anh Gia Lai Phan Văn Đức Song Lam Nghe An
April Lương Xuân Trường Hoang Anh Gia Lai

References

  1. ^ "V.Leagues sign three year sponsorship deal". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  2. ^ "V.League 1 opening fixtures released". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  3. ^ "V. League 2021 suspended after players' indirect contact with suspected Covid case". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ "V.League to return in late November". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Binh Dinh FC win V. League 2, return to top flight after 12 year". vnexpress.vn.
  6. ^ "Kiatisak heads back to Hoang Anh Gia Lai". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Saigon FC appoints Japanese head coach". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Sài Gòn FC coach out after three matches". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Hà Nội FC coach Nghiêm resigns after Đà Nẵng defeat". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Hanoi FC name former national team coach as acting manager amid disappointing league play". tuoitrenews.vn. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Hanoi FC sign South Korean coach amid lackluster season". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Poor results at V.League cause SLNA officials' resignation". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Đà Nẵng coach resigns after 13 years in charge". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  14. ^ "SHB Da Nang score new coach". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  15. ^ Duc Dong (27 November 2021). "Hoang Anh Gia Lai to represent Vietnam in AFC Champions League 2022". VN Express International. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Following the cancellation of the 2021 #vleague, it's now confirmed: no championship title awarded, no relegation / promotion, the ranking of teams after 12 rounds determines ACL & AFC allocations". twitter.com. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  17. ^ thamnguyen99 (3 December 2021). "Than Quang Ninh Fans Heartbroken by Club's Demise. Here's why". VietReader. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "V. League 1 match postponed after fresh Covid-19 transmissions detected". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 28 January 2021.