Coach Phan Như Thuật explains the reasons for SLNA's defeat at Lạch Tray Stadium.

Before their trip to Lach Tray Stadium (Hai Phong), fans in Nghe An province had high expectations that Song Lam Nghe An would continue to maintain their momentum after their courageous victory against reigning champions Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in round 2 of the V.League 2025/26.

And indeed, the opening minutes showed that this belief was well-founded. Despite playing away from home, Coach Phan Như Thuật's players entered the match with confidence, creating numerous dangerous situations. However, Olaha and Văn Cường missed opportunities to score, much to their disappointment.

While SLNA failed to capitalize on their advantage, Hai Phong quickly regained control of the game with their experience and unpredictability. In the 23rd minute, Fred broke the deadlock with a decisive shot, opening the scoring for the home team. The goal put SLNA in a difficult position, while Hai Phong played with renewed enthusiasm and continuously created dangerous opportunities towards Cao Van Binh's goal.

In the second half, Fred continued to shine in the 63rd minute, doubling the lead for the Hai Phong team. SLNA's late efforts in the remaining time were not enough to change the outcome. In the end, coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's ​​team won 2-0.

In the post-match press conference, coach Phan Như Thuật frankly admitted: "We got into the rhythm of the game quite quickly, but then made regrettable mistakes and conceded a goal. That's something the whole team needs to learn from."

The SLNA head coach also stated that physical fitness was a major reason for the underperforming match: “Not only the midfield but the whole team played below par today. This could be due to the high frequency of matches, and the players' physical condition had not yet recovered after the previous round. This greatly affected our playing style and effectiveness.”

Explaining the decision to make substitutions at the start of the second half, Coach Thuat revealed: "Midfielder Enrique was not in peak physical condition, so the coaching staff had to adjust tactics, bringing in more forwards to try and find an equalizer. Unfortunately, the players did not perform as expected."

According to coach Phan Nhu Thuat, the upcoming 20-day break is an important opportunity for SLNA to make adjustments: "The team still has a lot of work to do. This break will be favorable for us to train more, helping players both domestically and abroad to understand each other better, thereby improving our playing style."

Commenting on Hai Phong, Mr. Thuat praised them, saying: “They have developed a smooth and effective playing style. Their attack, with foreign players like Fred, performed very well and was the biggest threat to us today.”

Coach Phan Như Thuật affirmed that SLNA will need to make more effort if they want to compete in the V.League 2025/26: “We need to improve both our technical skills and our mental stability during matches. This is just the beginning, and the whole team will have to work even harder.”

With their defeat at Lạch Tray Stadium, SLNA showed that their journey this season will not be easy. However, with the coaching staff's frank acknowledgment of the issues, fans in Nghe An still have reason to believe in the team's comeback in the upcoming rounds.