Sport
Are the teams in V.League 2023/2024 afraid of playing the play-off match?
This year's play-off match is between the 13th-placed team in the V.League and the runner-up in the National First Division.
Up to now, the race for 13th place in V.League 2023/2024 is taking place extremely dramatic and unpredictable. The gap between LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai (13th place) and the teams right above, 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 with the runner-up of the 2023/2024 National First Division, most likely PVF - People's Police or Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc. These are two teams that are both ambitious and have a quality squad with a series of famous players.
Under coach Mauro Jeronimo are Le Van Do, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Huynh Cong Den, Nguyen Xuan Nam... and under coach Nguyen Anh Duc are Bui Tan Truong, Luc Xuan Hung, Nguyen Manh Hung, Hoang Minh Tam, Nguyen Huu Khoi... All are national and former national players.
Although they cannot compete with SHB Da Nang for the direct promotion ticket, PVF Cong An Nhan Dan and Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc have also had a quite successful period of competition. Therefore, if they are present in the play-off match, one of the two teams mentioned above will be a difficult obstacle to overcome.
Besides, according to the regulations of Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), foreign players are not allowed to participate in the play-off match. Thus, with the limited time (about 1 week), it is difficult for the representative of V.League to operate smoothly and effectively without foreign players.
It should be noted that over-reliance on foreign players has been a chronic disease of all teams in the V.League. The view that "a weak buffalo is better than a strong cow" is still not outdated. Just imagine how much strength Song Lam Nghe An will have left when Mario Zebic and Michael Olaha have to sit in the stands?
Furthermore, in the past, representatives from the National First Division have won the play-offs many times. Specifically, Hue beat Hai Phong after a penalty shootout in 2006, Dong Thap beat Binh Dinh 1-0 in 2008 and Can Tho Lottery won An Giang 3-0 in 2014.
In short, all 5 teams, LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Quang Nam, Song Lam Nghe An, Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Dong A Thanh Hoa, are very afraid of having to own a ticket to participate in the play-off match. To avoid "a long night of many dreams", they will have to fight fiercely with each other to escape from the danger zone./.
