FLC Thanh Hoa - SLNA: Ngoc Hai traveled 7,000 km to lock the detonator Omar?

Pape Omar Faye is one of the few foreign players playing in Vietnam who has played in the Champion League..It can be said that this is one of the foreign players with the most complete technique in V-League.

Omar can play independently, with explosive, physical play based on perfect basic techniques, typical of African players. This is really a threat to SLNA's defense after the first 2 matches, this midfielder was quite unlucky, missing many good opportunities.

Rise from the mud

The Senegalese striker, born in 1987, has one of the most complicated football profiles in Vietnam. He was banned from playing for life by FIFA in May 2012 for match-fixing.

In 2011, while playing for FC Thun (Switzerland) more than a year earlier, this Senegalese striker received 7,000 euros from a mafia member to play “below his ability” in a match in the Swiss National Championship.

Omar has missed many chances in the last two matches. Photo: Internet

While living frugally in his hometown, Omar was suddenly asked to participate in the documentary series “How the Mafia controls football?” by French TV channel TV5. In the part about his journey of corruption, Omar recounted in detail how mafia gangs approached players to entice them to participate in match-fixing.

The film was a success, after being broadcast in Switzerland. Swiss sports crime prevention organizations decided to invite Omar to participate in community activities to educate young players about the harmful effects of match-fixing.

Omar was also chosen by FIFA as a special guest in a conference on anti-match-fixing in 2014. In December 2014, FIFA lifted Omar's permanent suspension and the player has been with FLC Thanh Hoa since May 2015 as an indispensable part.

Second home

The fact that he played for 5 years (2005-2010) in Switzerland for FC Thun with 86 matches, scoring 23 goals, partly shows the class of this 1.88m tall player. This Senegalese striker was once valued at 300,000 euros by the player valuation website transfermarkt, which is considered high for a foreign player in the V-League.

With his height and physical strength, Omar is the fear of V-League defenders. Last year was a sad memory for this striker, he only scored 8 goals but received a red card in the match against S.Khanh Hoa and was banned from playing 8 matches and fined 30 million VND.

Although VFF later reduced the suspension to 6 matches, it is still considered the reason why FLC Thanh Hoa cannot compete for the championship.

Will central defender Ngoc Hai be able to recover his physical strength after the 7,000 km flight to continue locking the trigger on Omar? Photo: Internet

Omar has studied for a C degree in coaching and is committed to FLC Thanh Hoa. Although he is 32 years old, this striker is still an important striker for the Thanh team in the process of conquering the championship cup. This year, Omar has only scored 3 goals in the AFC Cup arena but has been unlucky in the first 2 matches of the 2018 V-League season.

Center back Que Ngoc Hai had a successful match against Jordan. The captain of SLNA left his mark with many aerial battles, reading situations extremely well to neutralize the danger to the Vietnamese team's goal.

Both SLNA central defenders have quite good “anti-Western” skills because they are 1.80m tall and both play with determination and alertness. Nghe An audiences are only a little worried about whether central defender Ngoc Hai will have time to recover his physical strength after the 7,000 km flight to continue to lock down Omar?