Song Lam Nghe An - S. Khanh Hoa BVN: The water is up to your neck!

(Baonghean.vn) - SLNA's disastrous defeat to Saigon Club has put a lot of pressure on Coach Ngo Quang Truong's team. The consequences of that defeat are more worrying not only in terms of points, but also in the faith of Nghe An fans.

Currently, SLNA has 18 points after 15 rounds. It is 6 points ahead of the 13th-placed team (who must play a play-off match with the 2nd-placed team in the First Division), HAGL. There are still 11 more rounds in V.League 2016, anything can happen. Especially in Vietnamese football, unusual things happen all the time.

The current 11th position cannot guarantee SLNA's ability to stay in the V-League, as there are still 11 rounds ahead and the team's form is very unstable.

In a still amateur playground like V.League, it is no longer strange for a team to be "crushed" or "beaten up" by a group. The dissolution of Hoa Phat Ha Noi in 2011, and 2 years later, Xuan Thanh Sai Gon Cement "quit the game", are typical examples of the "black and white mixed" situation of the most prestigious tournament in Vietnam.

Not to mention, the relegation race between HAGL and Dong Nai in V.League 2015 was very heated both on and off the field. One by one, the boss Doan Nguyen Duc of the mountain town team accused other teams of ganging up on HAGL, while on the other side, coach Tran Binh Su of Dong Nai criticized some other teams for intentionally "lying on the field" when meeting HAGL. Of course, everything just stopped at the level of suspicion, but more or less the fans' trust was visibly eroded.

Back to SLNA’s problem. Needless to say, everyone knows that the Nghe An team is not really good at lobbying. If placed in a tripod position with HAGL and Long An in the battle to avoid a play-off spot, SLNA is at the weakest position. Mr. Duc is the current Vice President of VFF, so the influence of the HAGL Group boss is not in doubt.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vo Quoc Thang from Long An is also a big name in Vietnamese football as the owner of Dong Tam brick company is currently the chairman of VPF Board of Directors. Just that is enough to know which team is weaker in the "play-off escape" battle in the "dark and bright" V.League era.

A gap of 6 points is equivalent to 2 wins, while the tournament has 11 rounds left. If they do not save themselves, a bleak future will easily come to the Nghe An team. Therefore, the more points they accumulate, the better, the further away from the danger zone the happier. Therefore, the immediate task of Ngo Quang Truong and his team is to try to gain maximum points against opponents of equal strength, specifically Sanna Khanh Hoa in this round of 16.

The recent defeat at Thong Nhat Stadium, SLNA has brought quite a lot of disappointment to Nghe An fans. A disorganized playing style, the superficiality of some key players... This defeat not only made the Nghe An team not get any points, but also lost a lot of trust from home fans. In fact, for quite a long time (specifically after the loss to HAGL last season) the number of fans coming to the stadium has been much lower than in previous seasons. The numbers of approximately 8000 people at Thu Dau Mot Stadium, Thong Nhat Stadium... are just rare bright spots. Meanwhile, at the "fire pan of Vinh Stadium" it is "as empty as a temple", when from the last rounds of V.League 2015 until now, the audience has only come to the stadium sparsely.

SLNA's pillars like Que Ngoc Hai are playing below their ability.

Never before have Nghe An fans been so indifferent to their beloved team. There is a saying: "First blame yourself, then blame others". SLNA players, coaching staff, and leaders should blame themselves for causing such regrettable things.

Nghe An people often say: "Angry but also love a lot". It is not too late for SLNA to make amends with the fans. Just go out on the field and fight with all your might, honestly, whether you win or lose, you will gain the trust of the home audience. The match with Sanna Khanh Hoa this Sunday afternoon is the best opportunity for SLNA to do that.

Therefore, the match between SLNA and Sanna Khanh Hoa in round 16 is extremely important for the Nghe An team in the "runaway from the play-off spot" and in the journey to regain the trust of the fans.

Le Thanh Hung