Missing too many opportunities, Song Lam Nghe An received the Bronze Medal of the 2025 National U15 Tournament

The journey to the Semi-finals of the 2025 National U15 TournamentU15 Song Lam Nghe Anis a clear demonstration of the strength of one of the leading youth training centers in the country.

In the opening match, coach Le Manh Huy and his team made a strong impression when they defeated U15 An Giang with a score of 5-0. In the next two matches, the Nghe An team continued to show their solidity and flexibility when they drew U15 Hong Linh Ha Tinh 1-1 and U15 Dak Lak 3-3. This result helped U15 SLNA win the top spot in Group C and a ticket to the Quarterfinals.

In the knockout round, U15 SLNA showed an effective approach to the match when they defeated U15 Kon Tum with a score of 2-0, thereby convincingly entering the Semi-finals.

The real challenge for coach Le Manh Huy and his team is when they have to face the home team U15 PVF. This is the leading candidate for the championship and also the defending champion of the tournament.

To face a strong opponent, U15 SLNA deployed a lineup considered optimal with a 4-2-3-1 tactical formation. The defensive quartet consisted of Van Canh, Van Tu, Minh Quan and Tuan Hung; the two central midfielders were Dinh Huy and Minh Chanh.

On the wing, Van Tai and Dinh Cuong were assigned to support the attack and defense. Meanwhile, Duc Uy took on the attacking midfielder position right behind striker Van Sang.

With the strength and home field advantage of PVF, U15 Song Lam Nghe An entered the match with a reasonable defensive counter-attack strategy. In the first minutes of the match, the Nghe An team proactively maintained a moderate pace, not rushing to push up the formation but prioritizing the safety of the defense.

On the other hand, U15 PVF took control of the game from the start with their familiar style of play. However, the first dangerous opportunity belonged to U15 Song Lam Nghe An.

In the 10th minute, from an attack on the left wing, Van Sang escaped after a smart pass from his teammate. Facing goalkeeper Gia Bao, the striker's shot from the Nghe An team did not have enough power to make a difference.

The attack was not effective, U15 Song Lam Nghe An unexpectedly conceded a goal. In the 20th minute, from a corner kick, the ball was hung on the near post for Trong Hiep to jump high and head the ball dangerously, sending the ball into the far corner of the goal while goalkeeper Van Huy was helpless, opening the score 1-0 for U15 PVF.

After conceding the goal, coach Le Manh Huy and his team pushed up their formation, organizing diverse attacks with many attacks on both wings to dig deep into the space behind the opponent's defense.

This style of play helped U15 SLNA continuously create dangerous opportunities, but both Dinh Cuong and Van Sang could not take advantage. Notably, in the 40th minute, Van Sang ran down the left wing and faced Gia Bao, but was again blocked by the home team's goalkeeper.

The first half ended with the advantage leaning towards U15 PVF.

In the second half, U15 Song Lam Nghe An accelerated, continuously pressing to find an equalizer. In the 55th minute, from a cross from the left wing, the ball suddenly went straight into the goal, forcing Gia Bao to fly and push the ball against the crossbar. Dinh Cuong quickly rushed in to finish, but once again, the U15 PVF goalkeeper made an excellent save.

While U15 SLNA was still struggling to find an equalizer, they continued to concede a second goal. In the 70th minute, from a teammate's precise cross, Duc Nam easily tapped the ball close to the goal, doubling the gap for the red team.

With nothing left to lose, U15 Song Lam Nghe An rushed forward to attack. Their efforts were rewarded in the 80th minute when Van Ngoc dribbled skillfully in the penalty area, forcing a U15 PVF defender to commit a foul. From the penalty spot, Minh Quan coolly finished, reducing the score to 1-2 for the Nghe team.

In the final minutes of the match, U15 SLNA continued to exert suffocating pressure. They created a series of clear opportunities, but the excellence of goalkeeper Gia Bao and the help of the goalpost and crossbar kept the victory for U15 PVF.

In the end, U15 Song Lam Nghe An regrettably suffered a 1-2 defeat in the Semi-final and won the Bronze Medal at the 2025 National U15 Tournament.