Who will replace SLNA's central defender Hoang Van Khanh for 1 month?

Before the V.League 2020, SLNA was actively looking for a foreign central defender capable of replacing Damir Memovic and finally, Gustavo Santos was chosen. However, the Brazilian player is still quite far from the former SLNA central defender who is currently playing for HAGL.

However, with the presence of goalkeeper Van Hoang in goal, the central defender pair Van Khanh - Gustavo and the two fullbacks Sy Nam and Dinh Dong still bring solidity to the Nghe team's defense in V.League. After 2 matches, this defense system has not conceded a single goal.

However, disaster struck when Van Khanh suffered a ligament injury and had to rest for at least 1 month. During this month, SLNA will host SHB Da Nang, visit Thanh Hoa, Hanoi, meet Ho Chi Minh City at Vinh Stadium and visit Nam Dinh on June 30.

Thai Ba Sang (86) and Le Thanh Lam (30) are two young central defenders of SLNA registered in V.League 2020. Photo: Xuan Thuy

These are all very important matches and will greatly determine the possibility of entering group A (8 strongest teams) after the end of phase I. In the 5 matches that the Nghe team must face this month, Hanoi is the defending champion and Ho Chi Minh City is the defending runner-up.

Without Captain Van Khanh, SLNA's coaching staff will have to find a last resort to replace the duties left by this player, both commanding his teammates and coordinating with Gustavo Santos to create a wall in front of the goal.

Currently, SLNA has central defender Pham The Nhat - a player born in 1991 with more playing experience than Van Khanh, but unfortunately he is only 1m72 tall. Another central defender is Thai Ba Sang, a player born in 1999, still very young and 1m76 tall. The former captain of U19 Vietnam has only had 1 debut match against Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

Pham The Nhat will likely replace Van Khanh. Photo: Duc Anh

In addition, SLNA also has another central defender, Le Thanh Lam, 1m81 tall, a central defender of the U19 SLNA and U21 SLNA teams. He was promoted to the SLNA first team before the V.League 2019 with Nguyen Ba Duc but has never played on the field. It is very difficult for Thanh Lam and Ba Sang to be chosen to play with Gustavo, because V.League is a fierce playground with most of the strikers being foreign players.

Thus, Pham The Nhat will most likely be the optimal and last resort option that SLNA's coaching staff must choose when Van Khanh is injured. And the match against SHB Da Nang on June 6 at Vinh Stadium will also be the first time the central defender pair The Nhat - Gustavo will play together in an official match.

SLNA captain and teammates both suffered ligament injuries

(Baonghean.vn) - Bad luck continues to haunt SLNA players as captain Hoang Van Khanh and midfielder Cao Xuan Thang both suffered ligament problems right before the match against SHB Da Nang in round 3 of V.League 2020.