On the sidelines of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup: 'We are crippled, they are crippled too'

Special audience

The match between Quynh Luu Youth and Yen Thanh Youth this afternoon (June 7th) was lively and intense, with players from both teams showing equal physical fitness, stamina, and technical skills. Despite the hot and humid weather, a large number of spectators came to the stadium to cheer on the players, with many parents traveling 70-80 km to Vinh city to support their teams.

Among them was a special spectator, 3-year-old Pham Cong Viet Hoang from Khanh Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), the youngest supporter in the stadium. Viet Hoang came to Vinh with his grandfather and parents to cheer on his older brother, Pham Cong Phong, of the Yen Thanh Youth team. Despite his young age, he already knew quite a lot about the rules and how to play football.

Whenever the Yen Thanh team (in red jerseys) had possession of the ball and launched an attack, little Viet Hoang would immediately shout: "Go Yen Thanh! Phong, score a goal!" Viet Hoang's grandfather, Pham Cong Sau, said: "Although he's still young, he's very passionate about football. At home, Phong often teaches him how to play. Knowing that Phong was participating in this tournament, he asked to come along to cheer them on."

"If I'm paralyzed, they'll be paralyzed too."

At the end of the first half of the match between Quynh Luu Youth and Yen Thanh Youth, the score was 1-0 in favor of Quynh Luu. During the halftime break, the players from the rice-growing region were very sad, with some sitting dejectedly. Parents immediately sat beside them, fanning them, offering water, and constantly encouraging their children.

To cheer up the players and give them more motivation to continue fighting in the second half, the coach of the Yen Thanh Youth team, Vu Duc Quyet, approached them and encouraged them: “In the first half, you all played very well, with smooth and effective coordination between the lines. Your attacks were well-executed, and your defense was relatively tight. The goal conceded was arguably due to bad luck, as it came from a set piece.”

While encouraging the players to drink water and wipe away their sweat, coach Vu Duc Quyet continued: “The weather is hot, so you're all exhausted. In the second half, you need to manage your energy wisely. Remember, if we're tired, they're just as tired. We need to make the most of every opportunity to score.” Hearing this, the players immediately stood up, showing their determination to continue fighting.

"Does anyone have throat lozenges?"

This afternoon (June 7th), both teams from Tuong Duong played their first matches. Many fans traveled over 200 km from Tuong Duong province to Vinh city to cheer on the young players. On the children's field, the Tuong Duong team staged a spectacular comeback after being behind three times to win the match 5-3.

After cheering for the Children's team, the fans from Tuong Duong continued to support the Youth team as they played against the Nghi Loc Youth team. The match was fiercely contested, with both teams vying for dangerous opportunities in front of each other's goal. Partly due to luck and partly due to capitalizing on their chances, the Tuong Duong Youth team scored an early goal against the Nghi Loc Youth team.

The goal came unexpectedly, and Ms. Kha Thi Lich, a fan, couldn't shout properly. She turned to everyone and said, "Does anyone have any throat tonic? Can I have some?" It turned out that while cheering for the Children's team, Ms. Lich had shouted so enthusiastically that her voice was hoarse, and now she couldn't produce a loud enough sound.