SLNA defense: From a fulcrum to a 'black spot'

Thanh Hung DNUM_BJZAHZCACA 19:29

(Baonghean.vn) - The 1-2 defeat against Viettel was the 5th consecutive match that goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang had to pick the ball out of the net, after a series of shots from the opposing strikers.

Entering this year's season, the Vinh team had to say goodbye to a series of key players in the defense line, typically goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh, center back Memovic, right back Tran Dinh Hoang and the duo in front of the defense line Vo Ngoc Toan - Ho Khac Ngoc. With a "porous" defense, the task for new coach Ngo Quang Truong is extremely large.

After a period of trying to "patch up", the results that the SLNA coaching staff received were very positive, with 2 matches without conceding a goal against Saigon FC (0-0 draw) and B.Binh Duong (1-0 win). Even when V.League 2020 returned, the Nghe An team still did unbelievable things. Despite losing another central defender, captain Hoang Van Khanh due to injury, SLNA continued to extend its unbeaten streak, keeping a clean sheet streak to 5 matches.

Tình huống hậu vệ Nguyễn Sỹ Nam bị tiền đạo Bruno Cunha của Viettel vượt qua. Ảnh: Xuân Thủy
The situation where defender Nguyen Sy Nam was passed by Viettel striker Bruno Cunha. Photo: Xuan Thuy
Defeating SHB Da Nang (1-0), holding Thanh Hoa (0-0) and overcoming Hanoi FC (1-0) right at the "holy land" Hang Day. Witnessing the impressive achievements of Nguyen Van Hoang and his teammates, experts and domestic football fans could not help but be surprised and admire. Thanks to that, SLNA flew high on the rankings (ranked first after round 5), with a launching pad from the defense. At that time, SLNA's defense system was like an "unbreakable bunker".

It is true that nothing can be predicted in football. Just 5 days after the victory on the field of Hanoi FC (June 18 - June 23), SLNA's defense was "torn apart" by the strikers of Ho Chi Minh City FC. Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang had to go into the net to pick up the ball 3 times, but that did not fully reflect the collapse of the defense system that coach Ngo Quang Truong and his colleagues had worked hard to build. The goals of Pham Van Thanh, Nguyen Cong Phuong, and Amido Balde sounded an alarm about the insecurity of SLNA's defense.

Sự xuất sắc của thủ môn Nguyễn Văn Hoàng là chưa đủ để giữ sạch mảnh lưới của đội nhà. Ảnh: Xuân Thủy
Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang's brilliance was not enough to keep his team's net clean. Photo: Xuan Thuy
What had to come eventually came. Since the 1-3 defeat against Ho Chi Minh City FC, the Nghe An team has only known defeat (3) and draw (1) in the last 4 consecutive matches. The latest defeat was against Viettel (1-2), right at the "fire pot of Thanh Vinh". Thus, in all 5 matches, goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang had to go into the net to pick the ball up, SLNA could not win. Obviously, coach Ngo Quang Truong's team had to pay the price for both individual and systematic mistakes. SLNA's defense is no longer themselves, compared to about a month ago.

More than ever, the Nghe An team is looking forward to the "reappearance" of central defender and captain Hoang Van Khanh and national team player Pham Xuan Manh. With these two pieces, SLNA's defense system may be able to stop being "fragile"./.

Featured Nghe An Newspaper

Latest

x
SLNA defense: From a fulcrum to a 'black spot'
POWERED BYONECMS- A PRODUCT OFNEKO