2026-2027 National Cup qualifying: Four V-League clubs fall to lower-division sides

The 2026-2027 National Cup qualifying round ended with one of the most disappointing performances by top-flight Vietnamese football. Over the weekend, eight qualifying matches saw four V-League clubs eliminated by first-division sides. Three of those defeats came at home. Bac Ninh were the only exception, beating Long An 3-2 away from home. At home, Thanh Hoa lost 0-2 to Becamex TP.HCM. The visitors, recently relegated, still had a squad no weaker than the hosts, showed more determination and won comfortably. Meanwhile, in Quy Nhon, HAGL lost 2-3 to Hung Yen. Pleiku Stadium is being renovated because of poor drainage during heavy rain, so the mountain-town side had to use a temporary home ground. They trailed 1-3 from the 77th minute and only pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 90+4 minute to make it 2-3. Hai Phong also disappointed, losing 0-1 at home to Thep Can Tho, the team that had just relocated from Quang Ninh to the western city. Striker Thaileon, who joined only a few days before, scored the only goal in the first half. Hong Linh Ha Tinh left Phu Tho with a 2-3 penalty shootout defeat after a 0-0 draw in 90 minutes. Looking at the context, this is not really a surprise. For many V-League clubs, especially those without ambition, the National Cup is not a priority. The deeper they go, the more they spend on travel, accommodation, and squad rotation, while survival in the V-League matters much more. First-division teams only need to show greater desire to cause an upset. Thanh Hoa are a typical case. The team from Thanh Hoa are dealing with financial problems as the 2026-2027 V-League begins. Their squad is limited because they do not have much money to keep key players. Before the match against Becamex TP.HCM, they also received a demand from FIFA to pay more than 305,000 USD (about 8 billion VND) to Jamaican striker Rimario Gordon after he filed a lawsuit. If the case is not settled within 45 days from September 16, 2026, Thanh Hoa will be banned from registering new players for three transfer windows. The dispute came from the old sponsor period, while the club has already switched to a new sponsor. HAGL are also facing a tough season after two straight defeats at the start of the 2026-2027 V-League. The squad is weaker than last season, so losing to a hungry Hung Yen side is understandable. But being eliminated early from the National Cup may actually help coach Le Quang Trai's team focus on their relegation battle. Hai Phong and Hong Linh Ha Tinh started the V-League with one win and one loss, not too bad. An early exit from the National Cup is also a suitable option for them to save energy for the championship. The problem for smaller clubs is not about progressing to the next round, but about fragile finances and squad depth. As long as V-League clubs still treat the National Cup as a burden, first-division teams will keep turning this competition into a stage for surprises. Without a change in mindset, next year's qualifying round will see more shocks like this.