SLNA and Dong Thap: 'The Unfortunate Ones'

(Baonghean.vn) - This Sunday afternoon, May 22nd, Thanh Vinh will witness a clash between SLNA and Dong Thap, two outstanding representatives of Vietnamese football. To put it mildly, this is a reunion of "the unfortunate."

The match between SLNA and Dong Thap at Vinh Stadium in the 2015 season - Photo: Duc Chuyen.

Matches between the Nghe An team and the Dong Thap team in the 1990s were always a highly anticipated contest among Vietnamese football fans. They were not only two powerhouses of Vietnamese football at the time, but also featured exciting clashes between stars of the national team. On the SLNA side were Nguyen Huu Thang, Van Sy Hung, and Ngo Quang Truong; while on the opposing side were Tran Cong Minh and Huynh Quoc Cuong.

SLNA and Dong Thap are two of the few remaining names from the era of subsidized football. Despite being geographically distant, they share many similarities. Together, they have won 5 National Championships/V.League titles (SLNA 3, Dong Thap 2), and have produced many talented players for Vietnamese football. And another common point is that they both came from "poor families".

We cannot underestimate Dong Thap because of its ups and downs between the V.League and the First Division. Nevertheless, they are still worthy of our admiration for their spirit of overcoming difficulties and striving for success. Dong Thap football has never been considered wealthy, with the team's budget always being in a state of "making do with every meal." Yet, every year, Dong Thap football still produces many talented players for the national team.

Following the generation of Tran Cong Minh and Huynh Quoc Cuong came Phan Thanh Binh, Pham Viet Cuong, Bui Tan Truong... and later Buu Ngoc, Thanh Hien... And for decades, the Cao Lan stadium has never ceased to resound with the cheers of the fans from the wetlands.

What about SLNA? Year after year, poverty continues to weigh heavily on those involved in football, pursuing a career in the sport here. Despite being considered one of the most successful teams in Vietnamese football, with numerous prestigious titles (3 National Championships/V.League titles, 2 National Cups, 4 National Super Cups...), SLNA has never escaped the fear of struggling to make ends meet.

Every year, before the start of a new season, fans in Nghe An witness their key players, the players they love, joining wealthier teams. In this difficult situation, the team only dares to set a modest goal of finishing in the top half of the league table. A "giant" of Vietnamese football for the past 20 years, now content to be alongside teams teetering on the brink of relegation. With the current situation, it's unclear when SLNA will ever return to its former glory.

This season, SLNA and Dong Thap are still struggling with the difficult problem of finances. The team based at Cao Lan Stadium possesses a squad that is both young, weak, and lacking in depth. Unsurprisingly, after 10 rounds, Phan Thanh Binh's successors are languishing at the bottom of the table. With the V.League only about a third of the way through, coach Pham Cong Loc has handed over the reins to Tran Cong Minh. It was thought that "changing coaches would change fortunes," but after 3 matches under "post-Pham Cong Loc," Dong Thap has lost all 3. It seems that the train to the First Division has already secured a ticket for coach Tran Cong Minh's team.

SLNA is in a slightly better position, as coach Ngo Quang Truong still has some genuine stars at his disposal, such as Que Ngoc Hai, Tran Phi Son, Tran Nguyen Manh... A team that blends experienced players with young talents, yet is delivering results that haven't quite met the expectations of the Nghe An fans.

No one thought that SLNA and Dong Thap would one day have to face each other in such a dire situation as they are now. Therefore, the match tomorrow afternoon (May 22nd) at Vinh Stadium is also a focal point.

Le Thanh Hung