Cong Vinh and his final match

(Baonghean.vn) -The match at Vinh Stadium on the afternoon of July 27th against Hoang Anh Gia Lai was the final battle for star player Le Cong Vinh in the 2013 V-League. This was also a crucial six-point match for both SLNA and HAGL, as the winning team would pull ahead to finish at the top of the V-League standings.

Before the highly anticipated match of round 17 at Vinh Stadium between SLNA and HAGL, the two direct rivals for the championship, Hanoi T&T and SHB Da Nang, had already shot themselves in the foot after two draws and losses away from home. This made the title race even more exciting and opened up opportunities for Song Lam Nghe An and Hoang Anh Gia Lai to determine their own fate.

While Chairman Duc's ambition is clear – to reclaim former glory – the dream of winning the V-League championship for the Nghe An team is being questioned. For many years, several teams in Vietnam have...MaleAmong them, Song Lam Nghe An still suffers from a fear of winning the championship because they have to compete in cup competitions, which is both costly and doesn't bring much professional benefit. Although coach Nguyen Huu Thang once declared that the team from Nghe An province's goal was to win the championship, the fact that SLNA recently sold its biggest star – striker Le Cong Vinh – has raised doubts because, in the world, no club that wants to win the championship would sell its best player at such a critical time.

During the ceremony announcing his transfer to Sapporo, star player Le Cong Vinh expressed his regret at having the opportunity to reach 100 goals, become the top scorer in this year's V-League, and more importantly, potentially become a champion with the Nghe An team. However, for the greater good, for his personal development as well as for the development of Vietnamese football, Vinh had to leave. The match against Hoang Anh Gia Lai at Vinh Stadium on the afternoon of July 27th will be Vinh's last game in the V-League this season. Immediately after the match, Vinh will travel to Japan to join his new club.

Cong Vinh will have an emotional match at Vinh Stadium before heading to Sapporo to play.

For fans in Nghe An, this match will be filled with emotion. It's an opportunity for tens of thousands of fans to pay tribute to Cong Vinh for his contributions to SLNA. Originating from and rising to fame through the SLNA youth academy, Cong Vinh made a historic decision to leave the yellow-shirted team, moving to the capital with a multi-million dollar signing bonus, and continued to achieve new milestones in his career. Returning home at the last minute, Cong Vinh continues to be an endless source of inspiration for the home crowd and contributes crucial goals to keep Song Lam Nghe An at the top of the league table. Vinh himself has scored 14 goals this season and is currently leading the scoring charts. For some, the image of Van Quyen may still be deeply ingrained in their hearts because of his talent and finesse in his magical passes, but certainly, most fans are feeling very proud of Cong Vinh and wishing him a smooth and successful journey to the big leagues.

For Cong Vinh himself, this is a match of mixed emotions. If he scores, Vinh will reach the pinnacle of glory with 100 goals – it will be a very long time before Vietnamese football finds someone who can break this record. This is also a match where he will have to leave behind the fiery yellow jersey on the Vinh stadium, the joyful feelings of being meticulously watched and cheered on by the elders and children at every training session, and his teammates who fought alongside him through thick and thin in crucial matches…

Fans from Nghe An will fill the stadium to bid farewell to Cong Vinh.

For Song Lam Nghe An, the match against HAGL is not only an opportunity to settle the score from the first leg (the defeat at Gia Lai's stadium in the first leg marked the beginning of a dismal six-match losing streak), but also a farewell party for Cong Vinh, thanking him for his significant contributions to the club. The match on July 27th is also an opportunity for SLNA to demonstrate their championship ambitions after officially selling Cong Vinh.

With such significance, the six-point match at Vinh Stadium will be the highlight of V-League Round 17. This is a game filled with mixed emotions – joy, sadness, and hope – and the expectation that Cong Vinh will score to continue Song Lam Nghe An's winning streak.

Nguyen Khoa