Surprising statistics about Saigon, SLNA's upcoming opponent

In this round 16 match, the Nghe An team will not have the service of midfielder Ho Khac Ngoc due to a penalty card. As the soul of SLNA's midfield, Khac Ngoc is also the player who decides the ability to regulate and organize the home team's attack. Therefore, SLNA's ability to impose the game will more or less have problems when playing with the central midfield duo Van Binh - Ngoc Toan or Van Binh - Sy Sam.

On the other hand, SLNA has not had time to add a foreign player to share the burden with Michael Olaha. However, in return, Phan Van Duc has recovered from injury and is ready to put on his shoes to play after 4 matches of absence.

Phan Van Duc will return in the match against Saigon FC. Photo: SLNA FC

On the Saigon side, the away team has the strongest lineup with the explosive player named Le Quoc Phuong, added from FLC Thanh Hoa, who is in good form. Although at the bottom of the rankings, Saigon owns striker Da Sylva, who has scored 9 goals in V.League this season.

It was the Mauritanian striker who played brilliantly in the first leg, helping Saigon come from behind to defeat SLNA 2-1. The striker's physical strength and ability to fight in the air and accelerate is a big challenge for the central defender duo Van Khanh - Ngoc Hai.

In terms of scoring, SLNA is also inferior to its opponent. SLNA has a total of 15 goals, Phan Van Duc (5 goals) and the player who scored 3 goals is central defender Que Ngoc Hai. Meanwhile, Da Sylva (9 goals) and Hoang Thien also have 5 goals. The away team has 7 players who have scored in V.League, while SLNA has 6.

In terms of current form, SLNA is performing better and is on the rise after 3 wins against Hai Phong, B. Binh Duong and XSKT Can Tho. In the last 5 matches, SLNA has only lost 1 match against this opponent, while Saigon is at the bottom of the rankings with a series of erratic matches, winning 2 and losing 3.

In terms of head-to-head history in 5 meetings, SLNA won 2 times at Vinh Stadium, and at Thong Nhat Stadium, SLNA lost all 3 matches.

In the absence of Khac Ngoc, Van Binh is expected to help SLNA control the game. Photo: Trung Kien

In this season’s V.League, SLNA often finds it difficult to score at home with only 5 goals, while Saigon has only 8 goals away. However, one factor that SLNA’s coaching staff will have to pay special attention to is the attacking and opportunistic ability of the team led by coach Phan Van Tai Em at the end of the match.

Statistics show that SLNA scored 4 goals from 0-15 minutes (26.7%) and only 1 goal from 75-90 minutes (6.7%). On the contrary, Saigon often played well in the middle of the first half and from 75-90 minutes.

From minute 15-30, Saigon scored 5 goals (22.7% ratio) and in the last 15 minutes of the match, Saigon scored 6 goals (27.3% ratio). That means that the physical depth helped Saigon accelerate at decisive moments. Something that SLNA often does not have and is at a disadvantage because it has to carry the foreign player's position.

Graphics: Trung Kien

Welcoming Saigon FC, SLNA will face a slight disadvantage in terms of foreign players and penalty cards, but the advantage of the Nghe An team is playing at home. This advantage has brought SLNA 9 points in the last 3 matches.

If they win another match, SLNA will have 20 points, equaling the record of HAGL, the team currently ranked 7th on the rankings. In this round, HAGL will host Than Quang Ninh at home, B. Binh Duong will visit S. Khanh Hoa BVN and SHB Da Nang will visit Nam Dinh.

Song Lam Nghe An has 3rd consecutive victory in V.League

(Baonghean.vn) - Two important victories against Hai Phong and B. Binh Duong at home helped the Nghe An team play confidently against XSKT Can Tho in round 15 of V.League 2018.

Trung Kien