By defeating Binh Dinh, Song Lam Nghe An secured their second consecutive victory.
(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of May 22nd, despite playing away against the third-placed team, Binh Dinh, Song Lam Nghe An, with their tenacious fighting spirit, secured a 2-1 victory.
In round 19, Binh Dinh was held to a draw by Hai Phong at home. This left coach Bui Doan Quang Huy dissatisfied. Therefore, in this round, when hosting Song Lam Nghe An, who are currently second to last in the standings, the Binh Dinh team is determined to secure maximum points in order to overtake Binh Duong for second place.
Conversely, Song Lam Nghe An just secured a valuable victory against Khanh Hoa in round 18. This win will undoubtedly boost the morale of coach Pham Anh Tuan's young team as they travel to Quy Nhon. However, the Nghe An team is facing a major setback with the absence of two key players, Tran Dinh Hoang and Phan Ba Quyen.
Without these two players, coach Pham Anh Tuan deployed a 5-3-2 formation. The five defenders were: Vuong Van Huy, Tran Nam Hai, Le Van Thanh, Mario, and Mai Sy Hoang.
Playing just above them are Le Dinh Long Vu, Quang Vinh, and Van Lam, who are positioned in midfield. Olaha and Ngo Van Luong are positioned highest up in the attack for the Nghe An team.
On May 21st, all three teams that Song Lam Nghe An is competing against for points to avoid a playoff spot won their matches. Therefore, to avoid being left behind, Song Lam Nghe An needs at least one point to keep pace with the teams above them.
Despite their desperate need for points, coach Pham Anh Tuan demonstrated a keen understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses. The coach from Nghe An province did not risk pushing his team forward to engage in an attacking game against the home side. Instead, Song Lam Nghe An opted for a defensive counter-attacking strategy.
With this style of play, Song Lam Nghe An created their first dangerous opportunity in the 5th minute of the match. From a lightning-fast counter-attack, Olaha made a well-timed through pass to Ngo Van Luong. The striker wearing number 7 curled a shot into the far corner of the opponent's goal, but could not beat goalkeeper Dang Van Lam.
However, shortly afterwards, from a build-up on the right wing, Long Vũ delivered an accurate cross to Olaha. The Nigerian striker jumped high and headed the ball skillfully into the far corner, leaving Văn Lâm with no chance. The score was opened for Sông Lam Nghệ An.
After conceding an early goal, Binh Dinh pushed their formation higher, increasing the pressure. The home team's attacks often originated from the flanks. This put Song Lam Nghe An's defense under considerable strain.
Under pressure from their opponents, the visiting team's defense made a mistake. Binh Dinh's equalizer came in the 18th minute. From an attack down the right wing, the Song Lam Nghe An defense was not alert enough, and the ball reached foreign player Alan. The striker unleashed a powerful shot, leaving Van Viet with no chance to save it. Binh Dinh leveled the score.
It seemed that Song Lam Nghe An would face many difficulties after the home team equalized. However, coach Pham Anh Tuan's team quickly regained their confidence and proactively organized high-quality attacks. And with a sensible playing style, the Nghe An club once again took the lead against Binh Dinh. Song Lam Nghe An's goal came in the 28th minute. From a cross from the right wing by the visiting team, the Binh Dinh central defender misjudged the clearance, finding the ball at Quang Vinh's feet. The midfielder unleashed a powerful shot that Van Lam couldn't stop.
In the final minutes of the first half, both teams exchanged attacks, but neither could find the back of the net. Therefore, the first 45 minutes ended with Song Lam Nghe An temporarily leading.
In the second half, coach Pham Anh Tuan proactively instructed his players to slow down the pace of the game. Song Lam Nghe An played defensively and waited for opportunities to counter-attack. This style of play made it difficult for Binh Dinh to get close to Van Viet's goal.
Unable to attack directly, coach Bui Doan Quang Huy's team chose to approach Song Lam Nghe An's goal with crosses from both flanks. However, the Nghe An players played with great concentration and successfully neutralized these attacks.
Conversely, Song Lam Nghe An didn't attack much, but they still created dangerous moments for Van Lam's goal. In the 66th minute, Olaha made a pass from the right wing to Dang Van Lam. The midfielder unleashed a diagonal shot, but the ball narrowly missed the home team's post.
In the final minutes of the match, Song Lam Nghe An created several clear-cut chances against Binh Dinh's goal, but the final score remained unchanged at 2-1 in favor of coach Pham Anh Tuan's team.
In Round 21, Song Lam Nghe An will return to their home ground to host second-placed Binh Duong.
