Cong Vinh and his "mission" at Hang Day Stadium.

(Baonghean.vn) -This Sunday afternoon, April 7th, star player Le Cong Vinh will return to Hang Day Stadium (Hanoi) with the important task of scoring against Hanoi T&T, the team that once brought him to new heights in his football career.

Cong Vinh is one of the most successful strikers ever from the Song Lam Nghe An youth academy. In 2008, when Song Lam faced financial difficulties, Cong Vinh couldn't resist the 7 billion VND price tag and huge salary offered by Chairman Hien to bring him to Hang Day Stadium. At that time, Cong Vinh was the most expensive domestic player in Vietnam. At Hanoi T&T, under the guidance of Phan Thanh Hung, Cong Vinh made remarkable progress and reached the pinnacle of fame with a memorable goal that helped Vietnam win the AFF Cup for the first time in 2008.

Cong Vinh will have another meaningful match at Hang Day Stadium.

For Công Vinh, the Hàng Đẫy stadium holds many unforgettable memories, a place where the striker from Nghệ An province achieved considerable success, both financially and in terms of fame. But Hàng Đẫy is also associated with many sad memories for this striker. In 2010, when he was an untouchable star for the team at Hàng Đẫy, Công Vinh unexpectedly suffered an injury. Generously, Chairman Hiển opened his wallet and sent Công Vinh to Portugal for treatment. Thanks to the connections of Coach Calisto and Chairman Hiển's bottomless pockets, Công Vinh was able to play in Portugal and became the first Vietnamese player to play abroad for a professional club. But that trip to Portugal was a complete failure for Công Vinh. In 2010, when Hà Nội T&T won the championship, Công Vinh was left out of the medal list due to his recurring injuries.

Before bầu Kiên's arrest, Hàng Đẫy was the home stadium of both Hanoi T&T and Hanoi FC. In 2012, Công Vinh's contract with Hanoi T&T expired, and despite his inconsistent form, bầu Hiển prepared a record-breaking contract to keep Công Vinh at Hàng Đẫy. At the last minute, Công Vinh chose to stay at Hàng Đẫy, but to play for bầu Kiên's team for an estimated price of 13 billion VND and a salary of no less than 50 million VND per month. That season, Hàng Đẫy became a nightmare for Công Vinh; he didn't perform well at either club or national team level. At the end of that year, when the Vietnamese football bubble burst, bầu Kiên faced legal trouble, and Vinh's team was disbanded…

Just when it seemed Công Vinh would be sidelined for the 2013 season, Sông Lam Nghệ An stepped in to support him. In the fourth round of the 2013 V-League, Công Vinh returned to Hàng Đẫy Stadium, but this time against his former team, Hà Nội T&T. This time, Công Vinh wasn't alone; approximately 10,000 Nghệ An fans followed, cheering him on and giving him strength, transforming Hàng Đẫy Stadium into a "cauldron of Vinh."

At their home ground, Hang Day Stadium, Chairman Hien's team has never managed to defeat Song Lam Nghe An. In the 2012 season, the Hanoi team suffered a crushing 2-6 defeat against Song Lam Nghe An at Hang Day Stadium. This was also the club's heaviest loss since its founding.

This afternoon, Cong Vinh will return to Hang Day Stadium with many grudges and connections, where he will meet again with Chairman Hien, President Nguyen Quoc Hoi, his mentor Phan Thanh Hung, and face his close friends Duong Hong Son and Hong Tien, but his goal is to score against Hanoi T&T.

Song Lam Nghe An has a great chance of winning at Hang Day Stadium.

As a professional player, Cong Vinh has overcome immense pressure when playing against his former team. Even when wearing the Hanoi T&T jersey in the final against Song Lam Nghe An, Cong Vinh ignored the insults from Nghe An fans to perform well. This time, fans believe their beloved star will continue his impressive form and score at Hang Day Stadium, defeating Chairman Hien's team.

Historically, Hanoi T&T has never managed to beat SLNA in their head-to-head encounters. In eight matches, the Nghe An team has won two and drawn six. This time, fans are confident that history will repeat itself, with Song Lam Nghe An defeating Hanoi T&T at Hang Day Stadium. This is also the main objective for the Nghe An team; they must win to maintain their top position.

Nguyen Khoa