SLNA - Nam Dinh: The poor meet the needy

The 0-0 draw against B.Binh Duong at Vinh Stadium on April 20 in round 6 meant that coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team still could not get their first win at Vinh Stadium in this year's V.League season (1 loss, 2 draws). With 6 points in hand, Ngoc Hai and his teammates had to accept standing at 12th place out of 14 participating teams.

If the situation is not improved quickly, the prospect of SLNA falling to 13th place (the position that has to compete for a Play-off spot with the 2nd place team in the 2018 First Division), or even 14th place (the relegation position) is very clear. It can be said that the upcoming matches in V.League 2018 are all finals for coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team.

There is a saying that “being poor also makes you miserable”. SLNA is in a very difficult situation because of the injury problem that is plaguing the team. Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh, foreign player Osmar Moreira, striker Phuc Tinh, central midfielder Ngoc Toan… have been tormented by injuries for a long time, now it is the turn of mainstay Olaha who cannot put on his shoes to play for 1-2 matches.

Olaha (yellow) will likely be absent from the match against Nam Dinh.Photo: Hoang Tung

Not only that, the Nghe An team entered the match with Nam Dinh without the services of the wing duo Tran Dinh Hoang - Pham Xuan Manh, because they had received enough yellow cards. Thus, SLNA will be missing nearly half of the A team to welcome coach Nguyen Van Sy and his team in round 7 at Vinh Stadium on May 4.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the front line, Nam Dinh is not much different. After the first 6 rounds of V.League 2018, after many years of struggling in the First Division, the team from Thanh Nam has not been able to win any matches. With only 1 point in hand, the team from Thien Truong Stadium is temporarily holding the last position on the rankings.

Like the Nghe An team, Nam Dinh’s upcoming matches are all life-or-death matches. Coach Nguyen Van Sy and his players have plenty of determination, but unfortunately, their strength is too weak compared to other opponents. Apart from coach Nguyen Van Sy, the remaining members of Nam Dinh are only good enough to play well in the First Division.

Foreign player Henry will have the opportunity to meet his old team again.Photo: Trung Kien

The domestic players have average professional skills, while the foreign duo Henry - Benjamin are only strikers of modest quality (each has only scored 1 goal for Nam Dinh). Even the main striker Henry is the "rejected product" of the Nghe team in V.League 2017. The Trinidad & Tobago player played for the Vinh team in phase 1, then was not signed to a new contract due to professional reasons.

Through what has just been mentioned, both SLNA and Nam Dinh feel lucky, as the opponent they are facing at this time is a team that is in a crisis of form and lacking in strength. Coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team and Coach Nguyen Van Sy’s team see each other as a “springboard” to overcome difficulties.

Will home field advantage and experience in V.League be enough to help SLNA defeat Nam Dinh and gain their first win at Vinh Stadium in V.League 2018? It is very possible that will happen./.

Thanh Hung