Công Phượng returns to V-League after 1,400 days: A bitter debut for Đồng Nai

Đồng Nai entered their first V-League season after being promoted as First Division champions. But their opening home match ended in a 0-2 defeat to Thể Công. The match's highlight was not the scoreline but the return of Công Phượng after nearly 4 years away from Vietnam's top flight. The 31-year-old forward wore jersey number 10 and was handed the captain's armband in the season's opening match. He came on from the 60th minute and had about 30 minutes of play. In that brief period, Công Phượng took charge of all set pieces: corners, direct free kicks, and the penalty. One of his free kicks created a chance for a teammate whose header went wide of the post. The most controversial moment came in the final minutes. Công Phượng placed the ball on the penalty spot after his team was awarded a spot-kick. But before he could take the shot, VAR intervened. After 3 minutes of consultation, referee Đỗ Khánh Nam reversed his decision, cancelled the penalty, and gave the ball to the Thể Công goalkeeper. Công Phượng reacted strongly. After the match, he continued to question the referee and ignored referee Khánh Nam during the handshake ritual. Assistant coach Lê Phước Tứ had to intervene to stop him. Meanwhile, coach Nguyễn Việt Thắng refused to comment on refereeing in the post-match press conference. Coach Thắng praised Công Phượng, especially his fighting spirit. He stated: "I believe giving the captain's armband to Công Phượng was not a wrong choice. I want him to maintain that to lead this team." Công Phượng's story goes beyond this match. He joined Đồng Nai (formerly Bình Phước) from the start of the 2026-2026 season on a 3-year contract. This club took a principled path to promotion: owner Phạm Hương Sơn refused the special promotion spot for the 2026-2026 V-League season when Quảng Nam withdrew, because he wanted the team to earn promotion through merit. In May 2026, Đồng Nai won the First Division championship, realizing the goal of promotion through merit. Công Phượng's return after 1,400 days was a major media event. But the reality on the pitch showed a huge gap between expectation and reality. Losing 0-2 at home to a mid-table opponent raises big questions about the newly promoted team's survival chances. Notably, Đồng Nai's tactics seem to rely too heavily on Công Phượng for set pieces and individual creativity. In his 30 minutes on the pitch, the team created only one clear chance from his free kick. This shows the team lacks diverse attacking options in open play. The biggest immediate risk is the possibility of Công Phượng being disciplined for confronting the referee. If he is suspended, Đồng Nai would lose their captain and main creative source. This is a difficult problem for the coaching staff in the early season. Công Phượng's reaction also carries another layer of meaning. In the previous promotion play-off, he had missed a penalty. Having a penalty cancelled in this match creates an irony that the media will surely exploit. Đồng Nai needs to quickly stabilize their mentality after a controversial defeat. For a newly promoted team, every early-season match matters. The coaching staff needs a plan to help Công Phượng control his emotions while developing attacking options that do not depend entirely on the 31-year-old star. The biggest question now is not whether Công Phượng can still shine. It is whether Đồng Nai, a club with the philosophy of earning promotion through merit, has the ability to survive in the harsh environment of the V-League. The answer will gradually unfold in the coming rounds.