Football

NINH BÌNH — Ninh Bình FC have fired a warning to their V.League 1 rivals by signing Nigerian striker Fred Friday from Hải Phòng FC, a move designed to reinforce their push for the 2025-26 championship. The announcement on Monday comes just a day after Ninh Bình lost top spot to Hà Nội Police FC following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat.

Friday, 28, will join Ninh Bình on a two-year contract, arriving as an urgent solution after the team’s main striker, Daniel Dos Anjos, suffered a serious injury requiring long-term treatment.

Standing at 1.87m, Friday is widely regarded as a modern target striker, capable of operating independently and displaying a variety of finishing skills. Before arriving in Việt Nam, he played in the Netherlands for AZ Alkmaar and competed in the Europa League.

This season in V.League 1, Friday has been in outstanding form for Hải Phòng. After 12 matches, he has scored seven goals and provided three assists, directly helping Hải Phòng maintain a position in the top four and placing him second on the league’s top scorers list. His departure is seen as a major loss for coach Chu Đình Nghiêm’s team, who are now moving quickly to recall veteran Moses Oloya to fill the gap.

Ninh Bình have also shown their readiness to invest in quality talent, acquiring Trương Tiến Anh from Thể Công - Viettel, along with Nguyễn Thái Sơn and Lê Văn Thuận from Thanh Hóa. These signings strengthen coach Gerard Albadalejo’s squad depth at a critical point in the season.

Despite recently suffering their first defeat of the campaign, losing to Hà Nội Police FC on Sunday, Ninh Bình remain well placed to challenge for the title. Currently, they sit second in the V.League 1 standings with 27 points from 12 matches, just behind Hà Nội Police FC on 29 points, while Thể Công - Viettel occupy third place on 22 points.

Friday’s arrival is expected to inject pace, precision and firepower into Ninh Bình’s attack as the league heads into its most intense phase. With his proven goal-scoring record and international experience, the striker could be the key to reclaiming the summit and keeping their championship ambitions alive. — VNS