Is the 2018 season with SLNA a success or failure?
(Baonghean.vn) - Finishing V.League 2018 in 4th place, SLNA accelerated at the end of the season. However, there are some goals that have not been completed.
Before the 2018 season started, SLNA's leadership set the goal of entering the top group in V.League, successfully defending the National Cup championship title and advancing deep into the AFC Cup arena. At the end of the season, the Nghe An team's achievements were only 4th place in V.League, 3rd place in the National Cup, and eliminated in the AFC Cup in the group stage. It can be seen that coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team did not complete the goal set by the leadership in the best way.
That does not mean this is a failed season for the Vinh team. Winning 4th place in the V.League is a very proud achievement for Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates. Remember, in the last 4 seasons (2014 - 2017), SLNA finished in the following positions: 5, 7, 9 and 8. What coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team have done deserves praise from experts and fans of Nghe An.
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| SLNA players received bronze medals at the 2018 National Cup. Photo archive |
Not only did they get a higher position, but in this year's V.League, the statistics of the Vinh home team are also much more impressive. With 42 points, SLNA is 8 points better than the previous 2 seasons (V.League 2016 and V.League 2017 both had 34 points).
In addition, the Nghe An team's offense and defense also showed clear progress (38 goals scored, 32 goals conceded). Putting the above achievements next to the achievements in V.League 2016 (34 goals scored, 36 goals conceded) and in V.League 2017 (36 goals scored, 36 goals conceded) is enough to understand the difference.
In the situation where the number 1 star Tran Phi Son transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Club, the number 1 goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh had to miss the entire season due to injury, SLNA's force was somewhat weaker. Apart from the appearance of goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai (loaned from Hai Phong), foreign player Dwayne Lynch (replacing Osmar from the second leg), the Nghe An team did not have any significant additions. Not only that, there was a time when Vinh Stadium was like a miniature hospital with a series of injuries at different levels.
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| SLNA had a quite successful 2018 season. Photo courtesy |
The consequence that coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team had to accept was a series of 8 consecutive matches without knowing the taste of victory. After round 12, the Nghe An team fell to the second-to-last position - 13th position on the rankings. But since the 1-0 victory over Hai Phong (round 13), SLNA won 7 more matches (equaling the record of 8 consecutive wins of Long An in 2005) to rise to the group of leading teams. The mission of coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team was completed when they finished in 4th position.
Another factor that confirms the success of SLNA in the 2018 season is the audience. Fans from Nghe An came to Vinh Stadium to cheer for Phan Van Duc and his teammates more than in recent seasons (average 7 thousand people/match).
Compared to the number of 4,269 people/match in V.League 2017, it proves that SLNA fans are gradually returning to the team. If the team continues to play like this season, Vinh Stadium will soon be full of spectators. Looking from these aspects, it can be said that coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team have had a quite successful season./.
