On the evening of 30/5, Cong Phuong scored and assisted, leading Dong Nai to a 3-0 victory over Long An in round 21 of the First Division. This win gave them enough points to clinch the championship with one round to spare, securing their spot in the V-League 2025-2026 season.

After scoring, Cong Phuong celebrated by wearing a Hulk mask, a famous Marvel Comics superhero character. Exactly one year prior, the forward from Nghe An missed a penalty when Dong Nai, then known as Binh Phuoc, lost to Da Nang in a promotion playoff match.

{"caption_all":"Dong Nai not only features Cong Phuong, who recently returned for the final three rounds after an injury, but also boasts many former Vietnam national team players. Pictured is Luong Xuan Truong. After leaving the V-League environment to play in the First Division, the player from Tuyen Quang consistently started and was a key playmaker for Dong Nai.nn"A season more challenging than anyone imagined", Xuan Truong said. "We are proud because we fought together throughout the season, maintained discipline until the very end, and this is the result of that continuous effort."","caption_items":"["",""]"}

Dong Nai finished the season with 50 points from 21 rounds, recording 15 wins, one loss, and 5 draws. They were 5 points clear of second-placed Bac Ninh.

This marks a historic first for the club, which previously competed as Binh Phuoc, to reach Vietnam's top football division. For the Dong Nai name, it signifies a return to the V-League after an 11-year absence. The current Dong Nai province was formed by merging the former Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc provinces, and it is now one of seven centrally-governed localities.

At the start of the season, Dong Nai received an offer from the organizers to play in the V-League after Quang Nam withdrew. However, owner Pham Huong Son (center) declined, stating his desire for the team to earn promotion on its own merits.

Following this decision, the owner, born in 1983, initiated a major overhaul, from the coaching staff to the players. He brought in a host of notable names, including Xuan Truong, Minh Vuong, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Duong Van Khoa, Le Van Son, and Ho Thanh Minh.

{"caption_all":"Coach Nguyen Viet Thang has become the first coach in Vietnamese football history to lead two First Division teams to promotion in two consecutive years. Last season, he helped Ninh Binh reach the V-League with an undefeated record.","caption_items":"["",""]"}

Midfielder Tran Minh Vuong left HAGL at the beginning of this season to join Dong Nai and immediately shone with multiple goals and assists. "At HAGL, we enjoyed a beautiful period of our youth", Minh Vuong shared. "But this is my first championship joy, even if it's just the First Division. We must strive harder to achieve higher goals in the more challenging V-League environment."

{"caption_all":"Dong Nai's assistants, including former national team players Nguyen Quang Hai, Le Phuoc Tu, and goalkeeping coach Ngo Viet Trung, celebrated the promotion with their families.","caption_items":"["","",""]"}

Cong Phuong played only four matches for Dong Nai this season but contributed to seven goals. He is considered a symbol for the team after two years with the club.

"This is my first club-level championship. It will be a motivation for me to try even harder", said the player from Nghe An. "I have played in the V-League many times, so I know it will be much more difficult. Therefore, we will need to strengthen our squad and work hard to perform well when we get promoted."

{"caption_all":"After Dong Nai's promotion, the second spot went to Bac Ninh, who will play a playoff match against the 13th-placed team in the V-League. That opponent will be determined between Da Nang, PVF-CAND, Becamex TP HCM, or HAGL when the league concludes.nnn n"}Duc Dong