The aftermath of the Nghe Tinh Derby
The final minutes of excitement allowed the audience to witness a thrilling derby match. A draw was a reasonable outcome and satisfied both teams.
Commendable results
Given the squad crisis and poor results in the first two rounds, the draw was the only positive outcome.Hong Linh, Ha TinhThis is a commendable result for coach Pham Anh Tuan and his team. Especially considering Hong Linh Ha Tinh possesses a fairly high-quality squad and has won both of their first two matches.
The events on the field demonstrated this. The visiting team quickly created dangerous opportunities towards goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet's goal. Fortunately, the excellent performance of this goalkeeper from Tan Ky helped the Nghe An team keep a clean sheet in the first half.
However, a lapse in concentration in the final minutes nearly cost Song Lam Nghe An dearly. Pham Van Long surged forward to open the scoring for Hong Linh Ha Tinh in the 90+1 minute. This goal seemed poised to crush the spirits of the Nghe An players.
But no! They persevered until the very last minute and were rewarded with a beautiful equalizer from Benjamin Kuku. With this draw, Song Lam Nghe An couldn't improve their position in the standings, but it will give coach Pham Anh Tuan's team better morale for the upcoming matches.
Meanwhile, Hong Linh Ha Tinh continues to soar high in the standings and is enjoying its best start in the V.League since joining Vietnam's top football league.
Benjamin Kuku opened an account.
Song Lam Nghe An hasn't changed much in terms of playing style, but the team's formation has been adjusted more effectively. The duo of Michael Olaha andBenjamin KukuThey play closer together to complement each other.
This created significant difficulties for the central defensive duo of Adou Leygley Minh and Helerson. Both defenders were forced to foul the Nigerian attacking pair right in front of the penalty area.
And one of those led to a beautiful equalizer by striker Benjamin Kuku. This was the first goal for the number 10 striker in the V.League, and also his first goal of...Lam River, Nghe Anin this season.
Hopefully, this goal will give Benjamin Kuku more confidence to shine in the upcoming rounds.
The comebacks
The recent Nghe Tinh Derby saw quite a few returns. First, center-back Ho Khac Luong made his comeback after nearly a year recovering from injury. The match against Hong Linh Ha Tinh last season caused the 2001-born defender to suffer a serious injury and miss the entire 2023/2024 season. Ho Khac Luong's return is crucial, helping to strengthen the Nghe An team's defense, which is riddled with injuries and suspensions.
Another notable return was that of midfielder Dinh Xuan Tien. After more than 7 months, the 2003-born midfielder finally had the opportunity to return to the starting lineup. His 74 minutes on the field showcased his good qualities: smooth dribbling, incisive passes, and decent finishing. With a bit more luck, Dinh Xuan Tien could have opened the scoring in the 59th minute with a dangerous free kick. However, the midfielder still needs to improve his fitness and stamina to play the full 90 minutes and make a difference in his final touches.
Besides Dinh Xuan Tien and Ho Khac Luong, Vinh Stadium also witnessed the return of Ho Van Cuong. After more than 1 year and 3 months, this defender born in 2003 finally had the opportunity to play on the Vinh Stadium pitch. Ho Van Cuong's speed and attacking ability are still very good. And if he can regain his best physical condition, Ho Van Cuong will be an important player for the Nghe An team this season.
There are still many areas that need improvement.
Had it not been for the outstanding performance of goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet, Song Lam Nghe An would have conceded a goal in the opening minutes of the match. This stemmed from a loss of possession by Xuan Binh on his own half. This is not the first time this defender has made this mistake this season. Therefore, not only Xuan Binh but also other Song Lam Nghe An players must learn from this experience to avoid repeating it in the next match.
In addition, there were instances of overly aggressive tackles. During the recent match, the spectators at Vinh Stadium were on the edge of their seats several times due to two-footed tackles by Bui Thanh Duc and Dang Quang Tu. If the referee had been stricter, these could have easily resulted in red cards. This would have made it difficult for Song Lam Nghe An to even secure a point at Vinh Stadium.
This has been a recurring problem in the first three rounds of the competition.Lam River, Nghe AnTherefore, the coaching staff of the Nghe An team needs to issue reminders and warnings to avoid unnecessary penalties in the following rounds.
Earning one point against the in-form Hong Linh Ha Tinh is a successful result for coach Pham Anh Tuan's team. Hopefully, it will help the Nghe An team gain confidence and perform better in the upcoming stages of the V.League.
