2021 V.League 1
The 2021 V.League 1 (known as the LS V.League 1 for sponsorship reasons) was the 65th professional season of the top-flight football league in Vietnam.[1][2]
Season | 2021 |
---|---|
Dates | 15 January 2021 – 2 May 2021 (Remaining matches cancelled) |
Champions | Not awarded |
Relegated | None |
Matches played | 84 |
Goals scored | 194 (2.31 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Nguyen Van Toan Oussou Konan Rodrigo Dias (7 goals) |
Biggest home win | Hanoi FC 4–0 Than Quang Ninh (11 April 2021) |
Biggest away win | Ho 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 scoring | Hong Linh Ha Tinh 3–5 Dong A Thanh Hoa (3 April 2021) |
Longest winning run | 7 matches (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) |
Longest unbeaten run | 11 matches (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) |
Longest winless run | 6 matches (Haiphong FC) |
Longest losing run | 5 matches (Saigon FC) |
Highest attendance | 20,000 Topenland Binh Dinh 0–1 Viettel (11 April 2021) |
Lowest attendance | 1,500 Viettel 3–0 Saigon FC (3 April 2021) |
Total attendance | 465,600 (excluding matches played behind closed doors) |
Average attendance | 6,208 |
← 2020 2022 →
All statistics correct as of complete. |
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.
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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Becamex Binh Duong | ![]() |
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SHB Danang | ![]() |
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Hoang Anh Gia Lai | ![]() |
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Haiphong FC | ![]() |
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Hanoi FC | ![]() |
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Viettel | ![]() |
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Hong Linh Ha Tinh | ![]() |
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Ho Chi Minh City FC | ![]() |
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Saigon FC | ![]() |
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Made by club |
Nam Dinh FC | ![]() |
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Song Lam Nghe An | ![]() |
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Than Quang Ninh | ![]() |
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Dong A Thanh Hoa | ![]() |
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Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hoang Anh Gia Lai | ![]() ![]() |
Mutual consent | November 2020 | Pre-season | ![]() |
November 2020 |
Ho Chi Minh City FC | ![]() |
Resigned | 12 November 2020 | ![]() |
2 December 2020 | |
Dong A Thanh Hoa | ![]() |
Mutual consent | 26 November 2020 | ![]() |
26 November 2020 | |
Nam Dinh FC | ![]() |
Mutual consent | 14 December 2020 | ![]() |
14 December 2020 | |
Than Quang Ninh | ![]() |
Resigned | 16 December 2020 | ![]() |
16 December 2020 | |
Becamex Binh Duong | ![]() |
Mutual consent | 19 December 2020 | ![]() |
23 December 2020 | |
Saigon FC | ![]() |
Mutual consent | 24 February 2021 | 4th | ![]() |
25 February 2021 |
Saigon FC | ![]() |
Sacked | 30 March 2021 | 11th | ![]() |
30 March 2021 |
Hanoi FC | ![]() |
Resigned | 3 April 2021 | 7th | ![]() |
3 April 2021 |
Hong Linh Ha Tinh | ![]() |
Resigned | 12 April 2021 | 14th | ![]() |
14 April 2021 |
Becamex Binh Duong | ![]() |
Resigned | 14 April 2021 | 6th | ![]() |
14 April 2021 |
Hanoi FC | ![]() |
End of caretaker spell | 20 April 2021 | 8th | ![]() |
20 April 2021 |
Song Lam Nghe An | ![]() |
Resigned | 30 April 2021 | 14th | ![]() |
30 April 2021 |
SHB Danang | ![]() |
Resigned | 3 May 2021 | 9th | ![]() |
3 May 2021 |
Foreign players
Players name in bold indicates the player was registered after the start of the season.
- ^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[lower-alpha 1] |
2 | Viettel | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 26 | Qualification for AFC Cup Group stage[lower-alpha 1] |
3 | Than Quang Ninh | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 19 | Withdrawn after the season's abandonment.[lower-alpha 2] |
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 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Play-off; 6) Drawing of lots
Notes:
- 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]
- 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.
Results
Season progress
Season statistics
- As of end of season
Top scorers
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Hoang Anh Gia Lai | 7 |
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Nam Dinh FC | ||
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Nam Dinh FC | ||
4 | ![]() |
Than Quang Ninh | 6 |
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Hanoi FC | ||
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Hoang Anh Gia Lai | ||
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Becamex Binh Duong | ||
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SHB Danang | ||
9 | ![]() |
Ho Chi Minh City FC | 5 |
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Song Lam Nghe An |
Source: Soccerway
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | SHB Danang | Dong A Thanh Hoa | 3–1 (A) | 29 March 2021 |
![]() | Becamex Binh Duong | Nam Dinh FC | 4–3 (H) | 8 April 2021 |
Clean sheets
Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Hoang Anh Gia Lai | 6 |
2 | ![]() |
Than Quang Ninh | 5 |
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Dong A Thanh Hoa | ||
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Viettel | ||
5 | ![]() |
Nam Dinh FC | 4 |
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Saigon FC | ||
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SHB Danang | ||
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Topenland Binh Dinh | ||
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Becamex Binh Duong | ||
10 | 4 players | 3 |
References
- "V.Leagues sign three year sponsorship deal". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- "V.League 1 opening fixtures released". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- "V. League 2021 suspended after players' indirect contact with suspected Covid case". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "V.League to return in late November". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "Binh Dinh FC win V. League 2, return to top flight after 12 year". vnexpress.vn.
- "Kiatisak heads back to Hoang Anh Gia Lai". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- "Saigon FC appoints Japanese head coach". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- "Sài Gòn FC coach out after three matches". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- "Hà Nội FC coach Nghiêm resigns after Đà Nẵng defeat". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- "Hanoi FC name former national team coach as acting manager amid disappointing league play". tuoitrenews.vn. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- "Hanoi FC sign South Korean coach amid lackluster season". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- "Poor results at V.League cause SLNA officials' resignation". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- "Đà Nẵng coach resigns after 13 years in charge". vietnamnews.vn. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- "SHB Da Nang score new coach". vnexpress.net. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- Duc Dong (27 November 2021). "Hoang Anh Gia Lai to represent Vietnam in AFC Champions League 2022". VN Express International. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- "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.
- 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.
- "V. League 1 match postponed after fresh Covid-19 transmissions detected". vnexpress.vn. Retrieved 28 January 2021.