Before Round 12 of the First Division: The second half begins!

The first half of the tournament concluded after Round 11 with newcomer Bac Ninh FC rising to second place in the standings. However, the race promises to remain intense and unpredictable, as the entire second half is still ahead, starting from Round 12 this weekend.

The focal point of this round is the clash at the 19/8 Nha Trang stadium between Khatoco Khanh Hoa (20 points, 3rd place) and the league leaders Truong Tuoi Dong Nai (25 points). Khanh Hoa has slowed down, winning only one of their last five matches, while Dong Nai hasn't been entirely stable either, with two draws in their last three games. With home advantage, Khanh Hoa is expected to pose significant challenges for their opponent. Notably, this match will utilize VAR technology.

On the same day, TNHCM (4 points) faces DH Van Hien (16 points) at Pleiku stadium. Despite being at the bottom of the table, TNHCM still has a chance to avoid relegation, trailing Dong Thap by only 2 points. After changing their coach, this team has shown positive signs with a draw against Khanh Hoa in the previous round, but DH Van Hien is still rated slightly higher due to their more stable form.

On March 14th, Quang Ninh (12 points) hosts Xuan Thien Phu Tho (15 points) at Cam Pha in a "newcomer derby". Quang Ninh recently drew with Dong Nai, while Phu Tho is riding high after two consecutive wins. In the other match, Quy Nhon United (17 points) meets Dong Thap (6 points). With their excellent home form, the team from the land of martial arts is favored to secure all 3 points.

The final two matches take place on March 15th. Bac Ninh FC (22 points) hosts TPHCM (18 points) in a direct clash between two teams competing in the upper group. Bac Ninh is on a streak of four consecutive wins and is rated higher. Meanwhile, PVF-CAND Youth (14 points) faces Long An (8 points) at PVF stadium, a match seen as a direct competition within the lower group.