Solid 'supports' help Song Lam Nghe An confidently score points on the opening day of V.League

8 unbeaten seasons - a pillar of faith

Last time,Lam River Nghe Ansuffered defeat in the opening round 8 years ago – a 0-2 loss away to Dong A Thanh Hoa in the 2017 season. Since then, the Nghe An team has maintained an unbeaten record on the opening day with 3 wins and 5 draws.

This statistic shows a pretty good performance of Song Lam Nghe An in the opening match of the new season. With a long tournament like V.League, a favorable start will help the team shape a positive mentality and create momentum for the next rounds.

Therefore, when entering the match against PVF-CAND, coach Phan Nhu Thuat's students have every reason to set the goal of leaving PVF stadium with at least 1 point in hand.

The "curse" that is difficult to overcome for newly promoted teams

If we look back at recent history, there is one statistic thatPVF-CAND– or any newly promoted team – is hard to ignore: Since the 2015 season, except for Hanoi Police, no rookie team has won on the opening day.

Hanoi Police in the 2023 season is a rare exception. The Police team invested heavily right after being promoted and not only won the opening match, but also won the championship in the first season back. In the same year, another rookie, Khanh Hoa, fell 1-2 at home to Dong A Thanh Hoa on the opening day.

2015 was even more evident: among the 3 promoted teams, 2 suffered heavy defeats – Dong Thap lost 1-6 to Becamex Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa lost 2-4 to Hoang Anh Gia Lai – and only Can Tho Lottery managed a 0-0 draw against QNK Quang Nam.

In total, from 2015 to now, the newly promoted teams have had very modest results: 1 win, 5 draws and 7 losses in the opening round. That number shows the "curse" that is difficult to overcome for V.League rookies - and is another reason for Song Lam Nghe An fans to believe in a positive result.

Away field is no longer a "nightmare"

If in the past, away matches were Song Lam Nghe An's weakness, recently the team has gradually improved. In the last 6 away matches, coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team won 1, drew 3 and lost only 2.

Notably, both of those defeats were under special circumstances: the "unfair" 0-1 defeat against The Cong Viettel when Song Lam Nghe An played on par with their opponents, and the 1-2 loss against SHB Da Nang in the final round when the Nghe team was sure of staying in the league.

Entering the preparation phase for the new season, Song Lam Nghe An continued to maintain stability with 2 1-1 draws at Dong A Thanh Hoa Stadium and Ninh Binh Club. This is a positive signal, showing that the team is no longer easily bullied when having to travel away from home.

Power from the stands

In addition to the professional factor, Song Lam Nghe An also received a familiar “weapon”: the burning love from fans. It is known that the Song Lam Nghe An Supporters Association has planned to go to PVF Stadium to cheer on the home team in the opening match.

With the bright yellow and the bustling drums, the atmosphere will certainly boost the spirit of the Nghe An players. In history, Song Lam Nghe An has played explosively on away matches thanks to the enthusiastic cheers from the stands – and this could be a scenario that repeats itself this weekend.

Hope, teacher and studentCoach Phan Nhu Thuatwill have an excellent match, thereby achieving the desired results on the opening day of the new season.