Binh Duong vs. SLNA: 'Even if the buffalo dies, the cow will still be skinned'

(Baonghean.vn) - At 5 PM today, November 9th, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team will face a predictedly very difficult match against the home team B.Binh Duong at Go Dau Stadium, in the first leg of the 2017 National Cup final.

The customer is highly determined.

Currently, B.Binh Duong's situation is quite similar to that of the Nghe An team. In the main V.League competition, both SLNA and the team led by coach Tran Binh Su no longer have any specific goals. The final rounds are merely formality matches, serving as warm-up exercises for the National Cup final.

Therefore, in terms of both morale and strength, both B.Binh Duong and SLNA are in quite good shape. They promise to create two exciting and dramatic final matches (first and second legs).

Entering the battle at Go Dau Stadium, coach Nguyen Duc Thang will have his strongest squad available. Apart from the long-term injury of right-back Dinh Hoang, the remaining players of the yellow-shirted team are completely healthy and in good form.

Furthermore, the burning desire to win the championship will drive players like Phi Son, Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Manh, Olaha, etc., to perform at 200%. Once SLNA achieves that, they will be an extremely formidable team for any opponent, and of course, B.Binh Duong is no exception.

Phi Son is SLNA's biggest hope in attack. (Photo: Archival image)

Just look at how coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team overcame Hanoi FC (winning on penalties), Ho Chi Minh City FC (7-1), and Quang Nam FC (7-4) on their way to the final. The success of Phi Son and his teammates was achieved not only through pure professional skill, but also through their fighting spirit.

The reason why the Nghe An team showed a completely different face in the 2017 National Cup compared to previous seasons was thanks to the "green light" given by the SLNA leadership. It had been a long time since the team from Vinh was instructed to go all-in in the National Cup, with the goal of winning the championship.

Ambitious owner

In contrast, B.Binh Duong has always entered every tournament with the ambition of winning the championship in all competitions they participate in.

With their financial resources and the willingness of their owners to spend big, B.Binh Duong never hesitates to represent Vietnamese football in continental club competitions.

It is no coincidence that B.Binh Duong is the Vietnamese football team with the most appearances in the AFC Cup and AFC Champions League (5 times) and the deepest run (semi-finals of the 2009 AFC Cup) to date.

This season, B.Binh Duong is undergoing a personnel revolution. Instead of spending money to recruit stars from other teams, the team based at Go Dau Stadium is utilizing its own homegrown talent.

Local stars like Trong Hoang, Dinh Luat, Au Van Hoan... did not have their contracts renewed to make way for promising young talents like Tien Linh and Trung Tin to have the opportunity to develop.

Binh Duong is a team with a mix of experienced and young players. Therefore, their less-than-ideal performance in the 2017 V.League season is normal for a transitional period at Go Dau Stadium.

Captain Anh Duc is B.Binh Duong's most dangerous player. Photo: Internet

However, as a major team, B.Binh Duong also knows how to leave its mark. In the 2017 National Cup, coach Tran Binh Su's team caused quite a few surprises for football fans.Anh Duc and his teammates successively defeated Viettel in the round of 16 (3 - 2), Saigon FC in the quarter-finals (5 - 3), and SHB Da Nang in the semi-finals (5 - 2).

Clearly, given what they have achieved, B.Binh Duong is not an easy team to play against, even though their current strength is not as great as in previous years. The lesson that FLC Thanh Hoa learned in the recent V.League round 24 is a prime example.

Although coach Tran Binh Su was without the services of key midfielder Tan Tai (suspended), and the number of home fans was far less than that of the large contingent from Nghe An, Binh Duong's desire to win was in no way inferior to that of SLNA.

It is highly likely that Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team will not leave Go Dau Stadium with a victory in hand.

Thanh Hung