3 advantages for the home team at Hang Day Stadium when hosting SLNA.

Neither Hanoi nor SLNA had to play in the National Cup qualifying rounds, but the team from Hang Day Stadium had a "warm-up" match in the AFC Cup 2019. After two group stage matches, Hanoi is currently in first place with 4 points, and they have a psychological advantage going into the match against SLNA on April 7th.

The point of decline and the momentum of euphoria.

Coach Chu Đình Nghiêm stated that he will rest Đình Trọng, Quang Hải, and Bùi Tiến Dũng for the match against SLNA. Partly because these players' physical condition has been depleted from playing in the 2020 U23 Asian Championship qualifiers, and partly because the Hanoi coaching staff wants to save them for the match against their long-standing rival, SLNA. Đình Trọng and Quang Hải will be crucial players for the defense and midfield of the team at Hàng Đẫy Stadium.

Quang Hai was rested from playing in the AFC Cup to face SLNA. (Photo: Club)

In fact, during the 2019 V.League break, SLNA only had 5 days off and focused intensely on the match at Hang Day Stadium. They also played 3 friendly matches against Ha Tinh FC, all with satisfactory results. However, compared to Hanoi FC, which has 5-6 players regularly starting for the U23 team in the 2020 U23 Asian Championship qualifiers, the advantage in maintaining form still leans towards the home team. SLNA has always been a team that starts quite slowly after V.League breaks. Last year, after a streak of 8 consecutive wins, it was Hanoi FC that interrupted SLNA's winning streak following the break for the national team.

In terms of personnel, besides goalkeeper Nguyen Manh's return, coach Duc Thang will likely be without the trio of Van Duc, Xuan Manh, and Tuan Tai for the away match against Hanoi FC at Hang Day Stadium. On the home side, apart from Van Quyet, who received a red card in the match against Viettel and will be suspended, coach Chu Dinh Nghiem has a full squad available.

Notably, while Quang Hai's performance in the first three rounds wasn't strong, his ball control improved significantly in the three qualifying matches for the 2020 U23 Asian Championship. Meanwhile, Dinh Trong, having just recovered from injury, returned to the field and reached 80-90% of his usual form. Quang Hai was also considered the best Vietnamese player in the 4-0 victory against U23 Thailand.

Clearly, Quang Hai, Van Hau, Thai Quy, Thanh Chung, Dinh Trong, and goalkeeper Tien Dung, the Hanoi FC players who started in the victory against U23 Thailand, are riding high after their memorable win at My Dinh Stadium. This is a significant advantage for the home team at Hang Day Stadium when they welcome Khac Ngoc and the SLNA players.

Foreign player advantage

Oseni is a nemesis for V.League teams. (Photo: Club)

Regarding foreign players, Hanoi FC has a clear advantage over the visiting team, SLNA. Because they are competing in the AFC Cup, coach Chu Đình Nghiêm has the right to register four foreign players. This gives Hanoi FC more flexibility, as they can choose three out of four American-Guam defenders: Brandon McDonald, Omar, Oseni, and Moses, along with naturalized player Hoàng Vũ Samson, depending on the coach's tactical intentions. Except for defender McDonald, the remaining players for Hanoi FC can play both midfield and forward positions; in fact, they constantly switch positions on the field, making it difficult for the opposing team to mark them.

In terms of form, the home team's foreign players are also performing exceptionally well. After 3 rounds, Oseni, Hoang Vu Samson, and Pape Omar have all scored 2 goals in 3 matches. Meanwhile, SLNA only has Olaha with 2 goals, and striker Santos has yet to register a single shot on target. Having competed in the V.League for many years, Hoang Vu Samson, Omar, Oseni, and Moses didn't need much time to adapt.