The driving force behind the Quỳnh Lưu youth team's journey to the 'throne'.
By defeating Vinh City Youth in the final match on the afternoon of June 13th, Quynh Luu Youth successfully defended their championship title in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament. This is the second time the players from Quynh Luu have achieved this feat.
Quynh Luu is a locality with a strong sports and physical education movement and a rich tradition in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament. Before this year's tournament, Quynh Luu's youth football teams had won the championship four times, including the championship in the 2023 season.
Therefore, in the 26th season in 2024, Quynh Luu Youth entered the tournament with the task of defending their title. In 2017, the Quynh Luu Youth team also successfully defended the championship they had won the previous year.
In the group stage, in their first two matches, the Quynh Luu Youth team easily defeated the Yen Thanh and Hung Nguyen Youth teams with a 2-0 scoreline in both games. In their final match against the Hoang Mai Town Youth team, despite facing some difficulties in the first half, the Quynh Luu Youth players had an explosive second half to win 3-1, simultaneously securing first place in the group from their opponents.
In the quarter-finals, the Quynh Luu Youth team needed a single goal in the 39th minute from Nguyen Chi Cong to overcome the Quy Chau Youth team. In the semi-finals, against a team from the Phu Quy region, the Quy Hop Youth team, the Quynh Luu Youth team endured a very difficult 50 minutes of regulation time, drawing 2-2 and only securing their place in the final through a penalty shootout.
Facing the Vinh City Youth team again in the championship match, the Quynh Luu Youth team showed a slight advantage in the first half but failed to score. In the second half, under strong pressure from the Vinh City Youth players, the Quynh Luu Youth team conceded a goal with only 7 minutes remaining.
However, the Quynh Luu players did not lose heart, calmly organizing their defense and preparing for quick counter-attacks. And in a counter-attack in the 48th minute, Quynh Luu Youth equalized thanks to a goal from number 10 Nguyen Chi Cong. In the penalty shootout, Quynh Luu Youth won with a score of 4-3.
The strength of the Quynh Luu Youth team this year lies in its relatively balanced squad in terms of physical fitness and technical skills. Goalkeeper Ho Tien Sap, with his height of over 1.6m and quick reflexes, played a crucial role in helping the Vinh City Youth team concede the fewest goals in the tournament (4 goals). In front of him is the calm and reliable libero Trinh Ho Quoc Toan, along with the dynamic wing duo of Ho Khac Minh Huy and Tran Hoang Anh, who seamlessly transition between attack and defense.
In the midfield, Quynh Luu Youth boasts a dynamic and passionate midfield duo in Phan Van Dat Toi and Dau Huy Hieu. And especially noteworthy is striker Nguyen Chi Cong – the player who won both the Best Player and Top Scorer awards.
Besides possessing excellent players, another strength of the Quynh Luu Youth team is their tactical diversity, along with their strong adherence to tactics and unwavering mentality. In the semi-final against the Quy Hop Youth team and the final against the Vinh City Youth team, the Quynh Luu players conceded goals first in both matches, but they remained undaunted, calmly following the coaching staff's strategy, thus achieving favorable results.
In addition, the large and enthusiastic fan base, along with their passionate cheering style, provided extra strength to the Quynh Luu Youth players in every match of the tournament.
Coach Duong Vu Phong of the Quynh Luu team further shared: “The Quynh Luu youth team entered the tournament as the reigning champions in the youth category, and this is always conveyed by the coaching staff to the players in every training session to encourage their pride, thereby motivating them to strive and compete wholeheartedly for the district's colors and the title they currently hold.”
Besides the desire to defend their championship title, many players on the team also aspire to become successful players from their hometown in the future, like goalkeeper Duong Hong Son, striker Le Cong Vinh, Hoang Van Binh, Ho Phuc Tinh, etc. This is the source of strength that has enabled Quynh Luu Youth to achieve success in the past two seasons.
Mr. Duong Vu Phong - Coach of the Quynh Luu Youth Team.
