HAGL suffered a crushing defeat and received a yellow card for Xuan Truong's reaction to the referee.
The red card for Tang Tien was the direct cause of HAGL leaving Hang Day empty-handed for the third consecutive time. But their heavy loss came from another cause.
Before Tang Tien received a red card for kicking Duy Manh in the knee, HAGL was trailing 1-0. After the midfielder left the field, the away team conceded four more goals.
Obviously the red card of Tang TienIt was a turning point, ruining a match that was so anticipated that it caused Hang Day Stadium to sell out for the first time since the 1998 Tiger Cup final.
However, that is absolutely not the reason why HAGL became poor lambs before the purple wolves of the home team Hanoi.
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Mr. Duc worships beautiful, dedicated and non-violent football, but at the same time is tying down the team he loves so much with ethical standards. Photo:Duc Dong. |
The situation where Xuan Truong received a yellow card for arguing with the referee is the important detail.. Since bringing the U19 team to play in the V-League in 2014, Mr. Duc has strictly forbidden two things: playing dirty and arguing with referees. But in yesterday's match, his HAGL team committed both of those taboos at the same time. That incident was certainly not a coincidence, but just the result of a process.
Xuan Truong has just returned to V-League after two years playing in Korea. He is the captain of U23 and vice-captain of the Vietnam national team. More than anyone, Xuan Truong knows the consequences of such reactions. But perhaps he cannot endure it forever.
Playing in the middle of the field, Xuan Truong had to witness his teammate Van Toan twice punching the grass after being fouled and the referee waved his hand to ignore the Hanoi player.
By normal reflex, the player who fell down would complain to the referee. That happens every day in the top tournaments, in the most advanced civilizations in the world. Because that is how they protect themselves. Reacting does not mean "accusing" the referee of bias, but is a way to warn, to avoid being disadvantaged in the following situations. However, Van Toan and many other HAGL players could only bow their heads and accept.
Xuan Truong did not do the same. He reacted to a confusing whistle from the referee and received a yellow card. That card may have violated the "ban" from Mr. Duc, but it was a necessary attitude to express his opinion as well as protect his team on the field.
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Tang Tien's red card changed the outcome of the match, but HAGL's defeat stemmed from many reasons. Photo:Lam Thoa. |
HAGL losing to Hanoi is indisputable., because of the huge difference in expertise.But it would still be a good match if the team from the Central Highlands did not limit themselves.
For the past three years, HAGL has always taken to the field with two prohibitions in mind, imposed by the owner. They do not dare to play rough with the opponent, even when they are in a situation where they have to commit a foul. They do not dare to react to the referee, just because they are afraid that it will damage the image of the team.
| Tang Tien received a red card after a rough tackle. |
The frustration grew. The opponents knew it all too well and tried to add to the frustration with tricks. HAGL gradually turned into a football machine, with only one command: play fair.
They are not programmed to defend themselves, to avoid hurting themselves. They have to suppress their personal emotions, and when opponents focus on exploiting that weakness, HAGL players naturally become their own victims.
Statistics show that over three seasons in the V-League, HAGL has received a total of 11 red cards - the highest number in the same period. There has not been a red card as brutal as Tang Tien's recent case, but if this path continues, who knows, similar brutality will appear again. Because cNo matter how well HAGL players are trained or how good their culture is, when they fall into a state of systematic inhibition, mistakes will still come.
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Van Toan (red) and his teammates easily collapse in matches where their psychological weaknesses are exploited by opponents. Photo:Lam Thoa. |
Mr. Duc always considers the group of players who grew up at the HAGL Arsenal JMG academy, which he has put so much heart and soul into, as his children and grandchildren. But those children are grown up now.Trying to raise well does not mean being overprotective.
He cannot force them to try to be good people, with harsh sentences like the case of Tang Tien being banned from playing for the rest of the first leg, just because of one loss of control on the field.
Violent football should be boycotted, and there should be severe punishments to prevent it. But to resolve violence, sometimes football leaders like Mr. Duc also need to have sympathy and understanding, not just punishment.
