National Cup 2018 Semi-finals (FLC Thanh Hoa - SLNA): The battle of two captains with the same name

Win "The Cong"

Since coach Nguyen Duc Thang took over the hot seat at FLC Thanh Hoa, the Thanh team has played 16 matches on all fronts (14 matches in V.League and 2 matches in the National Cup).

Under the leadership of the former The Cong player, FLC Thanh Hoa won 7 matches (6 matches in V.League), drew 5 matches and lost exactly 4 matches. Currently, FLC Thanh Hoa is in 4th place in the V.League rankings and has reached the semi-finals of the National Cup. This is not a bad achievement for the Thanh Hoa home team.

For many Thanh Hoa fans, the fact that their team no longer has a chance to compete for the V.League championship this season is a huge disappointment. Entering the new season, the FLC Thanh Hoa leadership brought in coach Mihail and quality players such as midfielder Vu Minh Tuan, goalkeeper Tran Buu Ngoc...

However, what coach Mihail and his team have done is not commensurate with the expectations of the leadership and fans of Thanh Hoa.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang is making his mark at FLC Thanh Hoa. Photo: Internet

At the AFC Cup, FLC Thanh Hoa could not get past the group stage. Meanwhile, at the most important playground, V.League, Hoang Dinh Tung and his teammates only won 2 matches, drew 2 matches and lost 2 matches, after the first 6 rounds. Internal discord, low morale of the players, coach Mihail had to part ways with FLC Thanh Hoa as a matter of course. The person who replaced coach Mihail was coach Nguyen Duc Thang.

The appearance of the former Saigon FC captain on the coaching bench has helped FLC Thanh Hoa return to the winning track. In the locker room, there is no longer a situation of factionalism (as revealed by Coach Mihail), on the field, victories occur more frequently. What FLC Thanh Hoa has, the greatest credit must belong to Coach Nguyen Duc Thang, also known as Thang "The Cong".

Coach Thang "dinosaur"

From age to career, SLNA coach Nguyen Duc Thang cannot be compared to FLC Thanh Hoa coach Nguyen Duc Thang. Thang "dinosaur" was born in 1977 and officially took charge (head coach) in the 2017 season. Thang "The Cong" was born in 1976, has been the head coach of Saigon FC since 2014 (when it was called Hanoi Club). Obviously, in terms of battle experience, Thang "The Cong" is somewhat superior.

But the achievements as a coach are another story. In this aspect, SLNA coach Nguyen Duc Thang is clearly dominant. The 2017 National Cup championship, or the fact that SLNA is ranked above FLC Thanh Hoa in V.League 2018 are typical evidences for the above statement. Don't forget, the Nghe An team is going through a series of 8 consecutive wins, equaling the record set by Long An in 2005.

Coach Thang "dinosaur" celebrates winning the 2017 National Cup with his students. Photo: Archive

Regarding the head-to-head record between the two coaches, there is still a draw. In the past, coach Nguyen Duc Thang (SLNA) had 4 times faced his colleague with the same name on the coaching bench. In V.League 2016, the Nghe team beat Saigon FC 1-0 at home and lost 0-1 away.

V.League 2017 also happened similarly, SLNA lost to Saigon 1-3 at Thong Nhat Stadium before winning 2-0 at Vinh Stadium. In the end, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang (SLNA) 2 - Coach Nguyen Duc Thang (Saigon FC) 2.

The upcoming first leg of the National Cup semi-final is an opportunity for experts and fans to admire the strategic talent of two coaches named Nguyen Duc Thang. Hopefully, both the home team FLC Thanh Hoa and the away team SLNA will give the audience an eye-catching match./.