Sport
Are V.League 2023/2024 teams afraid of playing in the play-off matches?
This season's play-off match is a showdown between the team ranked 13th in the V.League and the team that finished as runner-up in the National First Division.
Currently, the race to avoid 13th place in the V.League 2023/2024 is incredibly dramatic and unpredictable. The gap between LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai (13th place) and the teams above them – Quang Nam, Song Lam Nghe An, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and Dong A Thanh Hoa – is only 1-4 points.
The team that finishes in 13th place will have to play a play-off match against the runner-up in the 2023/2024 National First Division League, most likely either PVF - People's Police or Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc. These are two teams that are both ambitious and possess a fairly high-quality squad with a number of well-known players.
Under coach Mauro Jeronimo were players like Le Van Do, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Huynh Cong Den, Nguyen Xuan Nam... while under coach Nguyen Anh Duc were players like Bui Tan Truong, Luc Xuan Hung, Nguyen Manh Hung, Hoang Minh Tam, Nguyen Huu Khoi... All were current and former national team players.
Although they couldn't compete with SHB Da Nang for direct promotion, PVF Public Security and Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc have had a fairly successful period of competition. Therefore, if either of these two teams makes it to the play-offs, they will be a difficult obstacle to overcome.
Furthermore, according to the regulations of the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), foreign players are not allowed to participate in the play-off matches. Therefore, with limited time (approximately one week), it will be difficult for the V.League representatives to operate smoothly and effectively without their foreign players.
It's worth noting that over-reliance on foreign players has been a chronic problem for all teams in the V.League. The saying "better to be weak than strong" remains relevant. Just imagine how much strength Song Lam Nghe An would have left if Mario Zebic and Michael Olaha were sitting in the stands?
Furthermore, in the past, representatives from the National First Division have won numerous play-off matches. Specifically, Hue defeated Hai Phong after a penalty shootout in 2006, Dong Thap beat Binh Dinh 1-0 in 2008, and Can Tho Lottery defeated An Giang 3-0 in 2014.
In short, all five teams – LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Quang Nam, Song Lam Nghe An, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and Dong A Thanh Hoa – are terrified of having to secure a playoff spot. To avoid any further complications, they will have to fight fiercely against each other to escape the relegation zone.
