Having defeated U.21 FLC Thanh Hoa, U.21 SLNA temporarily leads Group A.

(Baonghean.vn) – In their opening match against host team Thanh Hoa on the afternoon of October 7th, U.21 SLNA absolutely needed to secure at least one point to avoid being eliminated in the qualifying round. And luck smiled upon the team from Nghe An.

Recognizing U.21 Thanh Hoa as a manageable opponent, the U.21 SLNA coaching staff fielded a lineup consisting of goalkeeper Van Tu, four defenders: Ba Duc, Khanh, Van Hiep, and Xuan Manh. The midfield quartet was Huu Tuan, Dinh Chau, Phu Nguyen, and Van Duc, and the two strikers were Tuan Tai and Viet Nguyen. In the opening minutes, U.21 SLNA quickly pressed into the opponent's half, intending to impose their style of play from the start. Meanwhile, the home team, U.21 Thanh Hoa, proactively defended with a large number of players in their own half.

However, all of SLNA U21's attacking moves failed to trouble FLC Thanh Hoa's defense. The passing combinations between the visiting team's midfielders and forwards lacked cohesion and failed to create any breakthroughs. Before the end of the first half, the play offered by both teams to the spectators at Thanh Hoa Stadium was extremely lackluster. Both teams had to accept going into halftime without a goal being scored.

Diligently searching for a way into the opponent's goal, luck also smiled on Phan Van Duc (19) when he was the player who scored the only goal of the match.

Entering the second half, the U.21 SLNA coaching staff remained patient with the lineup on the field. In addition, coach Nguyen Van Thinh instructed his players to play more as a team and create more pressure. And they didn't have to wait long; in the 60th minute, taking advantage of a mistake by the FLC Thanh Hoa goalkeeper and defense, midfielder Phan Van Duc was in the right place at the right time to tap the ball into the net from close range, opening the scoring for U.21 SLNA.

Striker Ho Tuan Tai has yet to score for U.21 SLNA, receiving special attention from the U.21 FLC Thanh Hoa defense.

The goal helped Phan Văn Đức and his teammates play more freely for the remainder of the match. Meanwhile, under the command of center-back Hoàng Văn Khánh in defense, U.21 SLNA did not give their opponents any significant opportunities to approach the goal. That was all that both teams could do in the remaining time of the match, and U.21 SLNA can be temporarily satisfied with the final score of 1-0.

In the earlier match between U.21 Hanoi T&T and U.21 Viettel, the two representatives from the capital city drew 3-3. Thus, with the full 3 points earned against FLC Thanh Hoa, Coach Nguyen Van Thinh's team is temporarily leading Group A.

The next match between U.21 SLNA and U.21 Hanoi T&T will take place at 3:00 PM on October 10th. If U.21 SLNA wins this match, they have a good chance of securing a place in the finals early.

Trung Kien