National Cup 2017: Desolate right from the qualifying round

(Baonghean.vn) - On February 4 and 5, the 2017 National Cup qualifying round will begin. Accordingly, there will be 5 matches organized and the winning teams will enter the round of 16. A tournament ranked 2nd in the VFF competition system but it seems that not many teams are interested..

The first 5 pairs participating in the preliminary round are Binh Phuoc - Dong Thap, SLNA - Dak Lak, SHB Da Nang - Xi Mang Fico Tay Ninh, Viettel - Hue, Hai Phong vs Nam Dinh. Thus, there are 3 clubs participating in V-League: SLNA, SHB Da Nang and Hai Phong with home field advantage and foreign players who are highly rated.

Quang Ninh Coal is the current National Cup champion. Photo: Internet

According to the tournament regulations on foreign players on the field: "a) For Premier League clubs: Maximum 2 foreign players; Maximum 1 Vietnamese player of foreign origin. b) For First Division clubs: Maximum 1 Vietnamese player of foreign origin" then it is clear that Dak Lak, Xi Mang Fico Tay Ninh and Nam Dinh are at a disadvantage. But many people believe that even the 3 V-League teams do not need to use foreign players to pocket 3 points because the away team only considers the qualifying round as a spring practice session.

According to our own sources, even Nam Dinh, one of the names considered to be candidates in the championship race in the upcoming 2017 First Division, is not interested in this Cup.

The 2017 National Cup Qualifiers - Su Thien Thanh has 2 pairs which are internal affairs of the First Division teams, Binh Phuoc - Dong Thap, Viettel - Hue, only Viettel and Hue are excited. Simply put, the winning team only has to face B.Binh Duong, who is rejuvenating the squad in the round of 16, while the winner of the Binh Phuoc - Dong Thap pair will have to go to Cam Pha to face the reigning National Cup champion Than Quang Ninh.

Knowing what is waiting, neither Binh Phuoc nor Dong Thap are excited. Even if Viettel - Hue wins against B.Binh Duong, they will face FLC Thanh Hoa, which has invested a lot of money this season, so the chance of going further is not much.

Many key players and foreign players of SLNA will not play and will give way to their juniors. Photo: Internet

The host SLNA itself, after winning Dak Lak, immediately met a very strong opponent, Hanoi FC, so the path to go deep into the tournament is also extremely difficult. Therefore, not only the teams that have to participate in the qualifying round, but most of the teams participating in the National Cup are playing with the spirit of practicing for young players. Accordingly, players who have not played in the V-League 2017 will have the opportunity to play, going as far as they can, sometimes having to look at the budget for the coaching board to decide the team's plan.

It is not until the quarter-finals, with the home and away matches, that the matches become a little more exciting, but in the knockout stages and the round of 16, many matches will be without spectators. Competing in such a context, it is difficult for young players to have the motivation and excitement to compete. Knowing this, the audience will have a sympathetic view of a tournament where the ball has not yet rolled but the scene is already bleak.

Catcosan Vinh