Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon Club: Does everyone get a gift?

Now, they are on opposite sides of the battle line, in an important derby, affecting the rankings of the two teams. These are two teams that play quite tough, especially the players of coach Miura who have received 3 red cards and 42 yellow cards from the referees so far.

Both teams are in good form.

After ASIAD, both HCMC and Saigon FC have 3 valuable points after 2 matches, starting to separate from the group, leaving XSKT.Can Tho and Nam Dinh behind. Recently, Phi Son and the HCMC players had the best match of the season, coming from behind to defeat HAGL 5-3. With a gap of 7 points compared to the bottom team XSKT.Can Tho, Coach Miura and his team can breathe a sigh of relief, relieving the burden they have been carrying for so long.

37-year-old veteran Huynh Kesley Alves of Ho Chi Minh City just scored a double. Photo: Internet

It seemed that Coach Thanh Cong would get a point at Lach Tray Stadium, because Hai Phong players are not in good form with 7 consecutive matches without a win. Moreover, in this match, Coach Truong Viet Hoang's team continued to be without striker Stevens due to internal disciplinary action. But surprisingly, goalkeeper Van Phong helped Fagan score the only goal right at the beginning of the match.

At the end of the second half, when dominating the game, coach Thanh Cong decided to send in his "reserve" captain Ngoc Duy and midfielder Tran Vu to score an equalizer, but the home team Hai Phong unexpectedly received a penalty. Dinh Bao could not score his 7th goal after defender Anh Vu let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area.

So although they lost the match 0-1, it can be said that Saigon players had a much better game than at the beginning of the season. The addition of Trung Hieu improved their ability to block from afar, and Quoc Phuong quickly adapted and showed his technical qualities in attack.

Same gift?

Although the match is considered a home match for Ho Chi Minh City, it is clear that the home-away factor is not an advantage for the two teams from the same city. This is a battle of wits between the youngest domestic coach in V-League and a foreign coach from Japan. Although he has only been in charge for a few matches, Coach Thanh Cong shows that he knows himself and his opponent.

Saigon FC under the coach from Nghe An did not close his eyes and put all his efforts into fighting against the relegation battle. Since taking over, coach Thanh Cong has known how to watch the game and play to bring Saigon to the end of a "difficult" season right from the beginning. A season in which Saigon had to make an involuntary change from players, coaches and the club's upper structure.

Coach Miura, Phi Son, Huynh Kesley Alves of Ho Chi Minh City have just been included by Goal in the list of typical squad of round 22 of V-League 2018. Photo: Internet

It seems that Saigon FC is aiming for points in this derby match so they have kept Da Sylva, a foreign player who has scored 10 goals, along with key players Tien Duy, Tran Vu, and Hoang Quang for this match.

Meanwhile, coach Miura is happy that 37-year-old "veterans" Huynh Kesley Alves and Tran Phi Son are in good form, so far they have scored 4 and 5 goals respectively for Ho Chi Minh City.

Together with Vu Anh Tuan from XSKT.Can Tho, this trio made the HAGL players exhausted at Thong Nhat Stadium. In the midfield, midfielder Van Thuan, a mainstay of Saigon FC last year, will have the opportunity to meet his old teammates again, competing with naturalized player Trung Hieu.

For Chairman Nguyen Huu Thang, what needs to be done now is to work with Coach Miura to quickly bring Ho Chi Minh City to a safe zone, before deciding to "erase the table and start over" next season. This is not the time for Huu Thang to make important decisions, he sits in the stands quietly observing and pondering rather than giving specific instructions for a match.

Contrary to the audience's opinion, those who are knowledgeable about V-League believe that the match at Thong Nhat Stadium will end in a draw. No one wants to lose points in the context of V-League entering its twilight and if there is 1 point, in the context of XSKT.Can Tho and Nam Dinh are holding each other, it is a solution that is beneficial for both.