Midfield's impact

(Baonghean.vn) – Before the SL Nghe An vs. SGXT match, the Thong Nhat Stadium organizers made a somewhat surprising announcement: doubling the usual ticket prices for stands C and D from 20,000 to 40,000 VND – the stands "reserved" for SLNA's fan club.

Furthermore, the organizing committee was very cautious, mobilizing a large number of riot police, security guards, and militia—estimated at no less than 300 people—to ensure security for the match. But ignoring all warnings, fans from Nghe An still flocked to the stadium in droves, with yellow jerseys making up the majority of the 15,000 spectators, creating an extremely passionate atmosphere in the stands. This further empowered Coach Huu Thang's team to completely dominate SGXT.

A slight change from the match against HN T&T saw "Vietnam's Ronaldo" Phi Son officially dropped from the starting lineup, with Hoang Thinh moved up to partner Van Binh, leaving his familiar center-back position to Manh Hung. That alone was enough to make a difference. Thinh's fiery style of play, based on his superb attacking prowess, completely neutralized Nguyen Rogerio's threat, winning the heated battle in the midfield. Therefore, SLNA maintaining a favorable position was entirely understandable.

Considered one of the best central midfielders in the V.League at the moment, the Brazilian foreign player couldn't show much against the tenacious marking of SLNA's number 8. The deadlock was evident in his impulsive actions; instead of proving his ability on the field, he drew attention with unnecessary verbal sparring. Hoang Thinh did an excellent job of "cleaning up" the midfield, greatly benefiting vice-captain Van Binh. No longer having to worry about defense, Binh "Son Hai" immediately made his mark with his familiar killer passes. With excellent observation skills and superb tempo control, the ball from Van Binh's feet spread across the field, creating opportunities for his teammates to approach XMXT.SG's penalty area. Relatively quiet on the field, but Coach Huu Thang's "midfield duo" played an extremely important role, and they deserve to be celebrated as heroes.



Two midfielders from SLNA

Trọng Hoàng's disastrous form since the start of the season has put him under considerable pressure. The heavy responsibility of wearing the captain's armband has weighed heavily on his mind, inadvertently robbing him of his best qualities. However, the coaching staff's faith hasn't wavered, knowing that the class of a great star isn't easily lost. Trọng Hoàng's impressive performance in this match proved that this belief is well-founded. TH9's early goal boosted the SLNA players' morale, making their attacks even more dangerous once their psychological burden was lifted. Trọng Hoàng truly was a whirlwind on the wing, constantly tormenting the home team's defense with his relentless runs. The defense, led by Long Giang, couldn't withstand the pressure and crumbled under the incredible onslaught of the SLNA captain's feet.

Not only did TH8 perform well in attack, but he also actively dropped back to support Âu Văn Hoàn in defense, rendering the home team's wing attacks completely ineffective. On the opposite wing, Quang Tình was equally impressive, even more so. Possessing perfect individual technique, the midfielder from Đô Lương was extremely confident in every play, effectively coordinating with his teammates and, when needed, creating breakthroughs on his own. Positioned in his preferred left wing by coach Hữu Thắng, Tình thrived, showcasing his best qualities. He played a major role in breaking the deadlock with a perfectly accurate assist, completely eliminating the pursuit of the orange-shirted defenders and creating a favorable opportunity for Trọng Hoàng to leap and head the ball into the net against SGXT.

Twenty minutes later, Quang Tình officially put his name on the scoreboard, a powerful shot from 25 meters that nestled neatly into the net, much to the astonishment of the coaching staff and players of XMXT.SG. With a little more luck, Quang Tình could have scored a masterpiece in this match. His impromptu move at the end of the first half made the home team's defenders look like pathetic apprentices. Dribbling at high speed, the SLNA midfielder confidently performed a series of difficult maneuvers. A delicate toe-poke beat goalkeeper Minh Nhựt, but unfortunately, it was blocked by Văn Sang right on the goal line. It was a great disappointment, but with what he showed, Quang Tình deserved to be the brightest star of the match.

With Cong Vinh having left, Kavin yet to regain his goal-scoring instinct, and Plaza unable to perform at his best, the pressure on the midfield stars to shine has increased significantly. Fortunately, the "second-line punches" have stepped up in time to help SLNA cling to a glimmer of hope. Fans of the Nghe An team are hoping that Trong Hoang and his teammates will continue their excellent form to help the team create a spectacular comeback this season.

Viet Khanh