Can Nghe An's identity speak up at Hang Day Stadium?

The duo Soladio and Olaha are gradually finding common ground. Photo: Quoc Dan

Easy to go, hard to return

The battle to get into the top 8 teams competing for the championship is becoming more fierce than ever. Especially for the teams that are in the middle of the rankings becauseThe score gap between the 6th and 11th ranked teams is only 3 points. Specifically, Viettel ranked 6th and has 11 points, while Hai Phong ranked 11th also has 8 points.

Only withLam River Nghe AnAfter 8 rounds, this team has only won 9 points and is temporarily ranked 10th on the V.League 2023 rankings. In theory, the opportunity to enter the group of 8 strongest teams for coach Huy Hoang and his team is still very open. However, in 4 of the remaining 5 matches of the first leg, Song Lam Nghe An must face very strong teams. These include Cong An Ha Noi, Viettel, Binh Dinh and Ha Noi FC. Therefore, to squeeze into the group of 8 strong teams is not easy for Huy Hoang and his team. The first mountain that Song Lam Nghe An needs to conquer is Cong An Ha Noi.

There is no need to argue, the rookie team V.League 2023 is considered a new force in the highest football tournament in Vietnam this season. Because at the present time, Hanoi Police owns all the famous players of Vietnamese football. These include Van Hau, Van Thanh, Tan Tai, Van Do, Trong Long, Rodrigues Gustavo Henrique... Especially in the recent match in round 8 of V.League, Van Thanh had a brilliant performance when helping Hanoi Police win against the host Ho Chi Minh City with a score of 5-3. In that match, Van Thanh contributed an assist for 2 goals and was also the player who initiated many highly effective attacks. This player's passes from both wings always put the Ho Chi Minh City Club's defense in a passive position. Besides, the two foreign players on the attack line of Hanoi Police are also strikers with high professional quality. With their physical strength, Rodrigues Gustavo and Jesus Silva always have the upper hand in one-on-one battles. In addition, this duo also shows the ability to choose positions and shoot well with both feet. It was Jesus Silva who opened the score for Cong An Ha Noi after Van Thanh's pass to tear apart the opponent's defense.

Van Thanh showed brilliant form in the match of round 8. Photo: VPF

That said, Song Lam Nghe An will face many difficulties when playing away at Hang Day Stadium in round 9 of V.League 2023. Because before that, in round 8, coach Huy Hoang's team had to struggle to find a draw at Vinh Stadium when facing neighboring team Hong Linh Ha Tinh. The problem that the Nghe team needs to improve now comes from its defensive ability. Que Ngoc Hai alone cannot cover up the mistakes from the surrounding satellites. The central defender who plays with Vysta, although he has good physique and fitness, still often makes mistakes that lead to goals. Besides, the ability to judge the situation of the Nghe players is not really alert, leading to the opponent scoring quite easily.

On the offensive line, the connection and coordination of Nghe An strikers are lacking the necessary smoothness. The passes of coach Huy Hoang's students often lack ideas, are easily read by opponents and are not difficult to neutralize.

Through the above direct view, it can be seen that all the indicators are leaning towards Hanoi Police. And if the home team wins this match, it will not be too surprising.

A small chance for Song Lam Nghe An

Although there are not many opportunities to score points against the V.League rookie, if coach Huy Hoang uses the right tactics, Song Lam Nghe An still has enough strength to make a difference at Hang Day Stadium.

In this match, after recovering from injury, Thai Ba Sang will likely be chosen by coach Huy Hoang to play from the start. At that time, with the coordination of the three central defenders Que Ngoc Hai, Vysta and Thai Ba Sang, they will be able to overcome the limitations in the previous match.

Besides, Dinh Xuan Tien and Ho Van Cuong will also be in good physical condition for the away match in this round. Recalling round 8, after Xuan Tien came off the bench, with his technical and creative playing ability, the midfielder born in 2003 helped Song Lam Nghe An's attack play more smoothly and with more breakthroughs.

Dinh Xuan Tien will be the player to look forward to in the match at Hang Day Stadium. Photo: Quoc Dan

In addition, Olaha is also gradually regaining his inherent danger. This player's star quality was shown in the goal that shortened the score for Song Lam Nghe An against Hong Linh Ha Tinh. If the duo Soladio and Olaha continue to play well together like in the 3 matches, in rounds 6, 7, 8, the opportunity to score against Cong An Ha Noi is not an impossible task.

But above all, Song Lam Nghe An's experience has been confirmed. A team that has never been relegated from the V.League will know how to overcome the obstacles ahead. And when facing a V.League rookie, no matter how strong, in football, identity is always an important factor for a specific confrontation. Therefore, Song Lam Nghe An still has a chance to find points at Hang Day Stadium when facing the home team Cong An Ha Noi.

The match will take place on May 26 at Hang Day Stadium, Hanoi.