Just returned to Vietnam, a rare overseas Vietnamese player is set to compete against Hoang Duc.

In preparation for the latter part of the 2025/26 season, Ho Chi Minh City Police FC undertook a northern training trip in early 2026, playing friendly games with quality teams to evaluate their squad and experiment with tactical plans.

Ho Chi Minh City Police FC officially began their first northern trip of 2026, marking a crucial preparation stage for the rest of the 2025/26 season. On the morning of January 8, coach Le Huynh Duc and his team left Ho Chi Minh City for northern training, planning friendly matches with three familiar V. League clubs: Ninh Binh FC, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, and Hai Phong FC. Afterwards, the team will return to Ho Chi Minh City to get ready for the 12th round V.League 1-2025/26 match against PVF-CAND away on February 1.

One of the most notable highlights of this trip is the potential for overseas Vietnamese midfielder Khoa Ngo to face off against Hoang Duc when Ho Chi Minh City Police FC plays a friendly against Ninh Binh FC. The meeting between these two midfielders, both highly regarded for their technical skills and football intelligence, promises to be exciting despite being a friendly match.

Khoa Ngo, full name Ngo Dang Khoa, born in 2006, holds Australian nationality with both parents being Vietnamese. Before joining Ho Chi Minh City Police FC, this young player wore the Perth Glory jersey and became the first Vietnamese-origin player to compete in the A-League, Australia's national championship. In the 2025/26 season, Khoa Ngo has appeared six times for Perth Glory and scored his first goal in Australia's top football league.

Playing as an attacking midfielder, with good speed and agile ball control, Khoa Ngo is expected to bring fresh energy to Ho Chi Minh City Police FC’s midfield. After signing the contract, on the afternoon of January 4, the 2006-born player traveled to Ba Ria to join the squad and was introduced to the coaching staff and teammates. Before training, Khoa Ngo was presented to the team by club leaders. Captain Tien Linh congratulated him on behalf of the players with flowers, while coach Le Huynh Duc offered encouraging words and high hopes for the new Australian-Vietnamese recruit.

Regarding their friendly opponents, Ninh Binh FC is also preparing seriously for the new season. The ancient capital club recently conducted a training camp in Singapore, where they played friendly matches against Lion City Sailors and Albirex Niigata. These matches helped Ninh Binh FC gain experience and test lineups and tactics ahead of the crucial upcoming phase. Due to the private nature of these friendlies, the scores of Ninh Binh FC’s games in Singapore were not disclosed.