The road to the championship for Song Lam Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - In contrast to their inconsistency in the V. League, SLNA showed a completely different face in the National Cup. On their way to their fourth championship title, Phi Son and his teammates instilled fear in every opponent.

Que Ngoc Hai scored the opening goal of the match in the first game of the National Cup against Dak Lak FC. (Photo: Archival image)

As in recent years, every time a new season begins, the worries about "making ends meet" weigh heavily on the shoulders of the SLNA coaching staff. Their economic resources are insufficient to acquire quality foreign players; in fact, many foreign players see joining SLNA merely as a stepping stone, aiming for transfers to clubs with greater resources, more ambition, and especially higher salaries and bonuses.

The team's strength relies primarily on a squad of domestic players from the 90s generation and a few unfamiliar foreign players recently acquired. Furthermore, finishing 9th in the V.League and a playing style considered lacking enthusiasm from the players have led to SLNA not being highly rated.

However, contrary to the predictions of experts and fans, the team from Nghe An province had a breakthrough season in this year's National Cup.

The situation during the first leg of the semi-final against QNK Quang Nam (SLNA won 4-1). (Photo courtesy of the archives)

In their first match in the National Cup, against Dak Lak, despite fielding a "second-string" team with many players making their first appearance in the first team, such as goalkeeper Quang Dai, striker Viet Nguyen, and Phu Nguyen, SLNA still showed their mettle to win 3-1.

With a smooth start to the National Cup, and also their first match of the new year, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team is confident on their path to the championship, even though they have faced many strong opponents who are equally eager to win.

Facing Hanoi FC – the reigning V.League 2016 champions – SLNA won 4-3 after a tense penalty shootout. Next, in the quarter-finals, Phi Son and his teammates met Ho Chi Minh City FC. At this point, like SLNA, Le Cong Vinh's team had no further objectives in the V.League, so they prioritized the National Cup. Even so, with a well-rounded and combative squad, SLNA won 3-1 in Vinh. And when they went to Ho Chi Minh City, Ngoc Hai and his teammates did even better, overcoming Le Cong Vinh's team with a 4-0 victory.

Building on their momentum, in the semi-finals, despite facing a very strong opponent in QNK Quang Nam - the team that was leading the V.League at the time and a top contender for the championship in Vietnam's highest football league - SLNA still surprised experts and fans by winning 4-1 at home.

Winning the National Cup is a well-deserved result for the efforts of the SLNA players. Photo: Canh Nam

Having overcome all the most difficult obstacles, SLNA confidently entered the two-legged final against B. Binh Duong - a former powerhouse of Vietnamese football - at a time when the latter was desperate to redeem themselves after a trophyless season.

However, right after the first leg away match, the championship was almost certainly in the hands of Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team. At Go Dau Stadium, SLNA brilliantly defeated Coach Tran Binh Su's team with a score of 2-1. And in the second leg, SLNA scored a barrage of goals to bring home their third National Cup trophy.

The coaching staff, players, and a large number of SLNA fans celebrate their championship victory. Photo: Canh Nam

Another season has come to an end. Although they didn't achieve high results in the V.League, SLNA has become a real force in the National Cup, a "record holder" with three championship titles. Hopefully, after this "boost," SLNA will soon rediscover its golden age, something that fans in Nghe An have always longed for from their beloved team.

Reporters' Team