4:30 PM, Chi Lang Stadium, SHB Da Nang vs. Ayeyawady United (Myanmar): This is your chance!
There's no reason for SHB.ĐN to worry about securing all three points when they're brimming with confidence and their opponent is a manageable, even weaker, team. The AFC Cup is a competition that Vietnamese clubs rarely take seriously, and SHB.ĐN must remember that.
Merlo (left) and his teammates at SHB Da Nang are in excellent spirits and performing professionally. Photo: Hong Vinh
According to the draw results, in the group stage of the AFC Cup 2013, SHB.ĐN is in the same group as Kelantan (Malaysia), Ayeyawady United (Myanmar) and Maziya Sports & Recreation (Maldives).
Therefore, none of the opponents pose a significant threat to SHB.ĐN. Or, to put it mildly, if Huỳnh Đức fields his strongest team, it wouldn't be too difficult for the reigning V-League champions to secure a place in the next round. In fact, in the 2010 AFC Cup, Huỳnh Đức's team advanced to the second round with remarkable ease.
SHB.ĐN is currently full of inspiration, which is a crucial weapon in football. Coupled with the home advantage and a full, energetic squad, Coach Huỳnh Đức has many options to achieve the goal of securing all three points without expending too many players. In each home game, SHB.ĐN needs to aim for victory while minimizing injuries and taking advantage of opportunities to test different positions and tactical systems.
A victory also means prize money flowing into their pockets. In 2010, SHB.ĐN players earned a substantial amount of prize money in this tournament. In short, SHB.ĐN has a huge advantage, allowing them to reap benefits in terms of material wealth, achievements, and morale.
Looking back at the complete failure of 2010, Huynh Duc once admitted that he had miscalculated, failing to anticipate the complexities of having to spread his resources across multiple fronts. The SHB Da Nang team that year, after going through the group stage, had lost too much of its energy. Many key players even jokingly said that even if they had the ball right in front of them and lifted their leg to shoot, they wouldn't have the power.
This is a consequence of the coaching staff lacking a strategy for key players to recover, and Huynh Duc's rotation system hasn't reached the same level of sophistication as it does now. Calculating how to prevent the team from being worn down is an art, and it's what sets him apart from other domestic coaches in this area.
SHB.ĐN's real challenge in this year's AFC Cup, without a doubt, is the quarter-finals. Therefore, the coaching staff needs to consider giving young players more opportunities to gain experience and help them overcome their limitations, especially after being promoted en masse. Playing against foreign clubs is truly a valuable experience, provided that our clubs are genuinely conscious of the importance of competition and upholding the prestige of national football.
In short, SHB.ĐN is now a strong club, both in terms of personnel and finances, capable of competing fairly in the AFC Cup. They are a prime representative of Vietnamese football, so they need to be mindful of maintaining the club's reputation and more. A victory is a realistic goal for SHB.ĐN at this point.
According to Sports & Culture - DT
