Will Ho Khac Ngoc be selected for the national team?
(Baonghean.vn) - In the recent V. League Round 7, SLNA staged a spectacular comeback against SHB Da Nang. One of the most impressive players in this match was midfielder Ho Khac Ngoc.
In the 82nd minute, receiving the ball from a teammate outside the 16.5-meter box, slightly to the right of his team's attack, Ho Khac Ngoc unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner of goalkeeper Thanh Binh's net. The spectacular goal from the "Fabregas of Nghe An" ignited the Vinh Stadium, securing a crucial three points for SLNA.
Witnessing the magnificent goal scored by his former pupil, coach Nguyen Huu Thang couldn't hide his excitement. After the match, the head coach of the Vietnamese national team went down to the field to congratulate the Nghe An team and especially to praise Ho Khac Ngoc.
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This season, after 7 matches for SLNA in the V. League, Ho Khac Ngoc has been included in the starting lineup for all 7 games. This shows that the coaching staff of the Nghe An team places great trust in the midfielder born in 1992. Not disappointing his coaches, Ho Khac Ngoc has played quite actively and effectively, helping his team gain an advantage against opponents with highly-rated midfields such as Than Quang Ninh, SHB Da Nang, S. Khanh Hoa...
The goal against SHB Da Nang was Ngoc "the Emperor's" second consecutive goal for SLNA in the 2017 V. League. In SLNA's 1-2 defeat at Cam Pha Stadium against Than Quang Ninh, Ho Khac Ngoc scored with a quick, dangerous shot that beat goalkeeper Tuan Linh of the Than Quang Ninh team.
Observing the Nghe An team's performance this season, one can notice a significant change in their playing style. Gone are the simple, familiar tactics of relentlessly dribbling the ball forward, then passing and lofting the ball to foreign players in the attacking line for them to freely create chances.
Now, the duo of Nguyen Duc Thang and Nguyen Van Thinh have made SLNA's playing style more fluid through short passes between positions and lines. In the coaching staff's plan, as well as in the team's actual operation on the field, Ho Khac Ngoc acts as a bridge and a connecting point between the lines.
Positioned as a central midfielder in a 4-4-1-1 formation, the 25-year-old takes on the role of playmaker for the team. The ball typically finds its way to Ho Khac Ngoc's feet before reaching other players on the field.
The pace of ball circulation depends on Ho Khac Ngoc's footwork and heading. Simply put, the midfielder wearing the number 12 jersey is like the conductor in a symphony orchestra, or the valve of a dam. Therefore, Ho Khac Ngoc's importance to SLNA in recent years has been immense.
With midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh still recovering from injury, the question arises: Who will partner Luong Xuan Truong in the center of the Vietnamese national team's midfield? For the past few months, coach Nguyen Huu Thang, besides hoping for the HAGL player's speedy return to the pitch, has been relentlessly searching across the country for a suitable partner to play alongside Luong Xuan Truong.
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| Coach Nguyen Huu Thang highly praised Ho Khac Ngoc's performance. (Photo: Archival image) |
As revealed by the coach from Nghe An, the Vietnamese national team's failure at the 2016 AFF Cup was partly due to the absence of Tuan Anh. "Stop-care" options like Nguyen Trong Hoang and Le Van Thang did not yield the expected results. With the final qualifying round for the 2019 Asian Cup fast approaching, to smoothly and effectively implement his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation, Coach Nguyen Huu Thang must find a player with a similar playing style to Nguyen Tuan Anh. Objectively speaking, in Vietnamese football today, few are more suitable than midfielder Ho Khac Ngoc.
This player possesses both exquisite individual technique and excellent tactical awareness (essential for a central midfielder), along with extensive match experience. With his current form and proven qualities, Ho Khac Ngoc deserves a chance at the national team level.
Sitting in the stands at Vinh Stadium, coach Nguyen Huu Thang must have felt overjoyed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, after witnessing Ho Khac Ngoc's convincing performance. The problem of finding a suitable partner for Xuan Truong has finally been solved.
On March 28th, the Vietnamese national team will travel to Afghanistan to kick off their campaign to qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup. Will Ho Khac Ngoc have the honor of wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey? Only coach Nguyen Huu Thang can answer this question.
Thanh Hung
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