National Cup: Tien Dung's team decided not to change the schedule, Xuan Manh - Van Duc suffered losses
(Baonghean.vn) - With the Vietnam Olympic team reaching the semi-finals of the 18th Asian Games and ending the tournament after the bronze medal match on September 1st and the whole team returning home one day later. Yesterday (August 30th), the schedule for the second leg of the semi-finals of the 2018 National Cup was also adjusted.
 |
| It is likely that Phan Van Duc - Pham Xuan Manh will face goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung of FLC Thanh Hoa a few days after returning from Asiad 2018. Photo: SLNA FC |
However, the Organizing Committee only changed the schedule of the second leg semi-final match between B. Binh Duong and Hanoi, while the match between SLNA and FLC Thanh Hoa remained as scheduled. The reason was because the Thanh team did not agree to postpone the match because it was close to the remaining matches of V.League 2018.
Specifically, the match between B. Binh Duong and Hanoi instead of taking place on September 5 as scheduled will be postponed to October 3. Meanwhile, the remaining semi-final match between SLNA and FLC Thanh Hoa will still be played on September 5 at Vinh Stadium. On October 6, FLC Thanh Hoa will play away against S. Khanh Hoa BVN.
According to the plan, the Vietnam Olympic team will return home on September 2 after finishing their journey at the 2018 Asiad and 2 days later, the second leg of the 2018 National Cup semi-final between SLNA and FLC Thanh Hoa will take place.
 |
| SLNA won 3-2 in the first leg of the semi-final at FLC Thanh Hoa Stadium. Photo: VPF |
Thus, the two players Phan Van Duc and Pham Xuan Manh only have 2 days off to continue serving the club and after the second leg of the National Cup semi-final, 4 days later, SLNA will meet Hanoi in round 21 of V.League 2018 at Hang Day Stadium (September 9). This is the season in which the two U23 Vietnam players of SLNA play the most matches and have almost no time to recover their physical strength.
SLNA coach Nguyen Duc Thang said: “SLNA has 2 players attending the Vietnam Olympic Games and the break is too short so SLNA’s coaching board cannot confirm that they will play immediately. We have to wait until Phan Van Duc and Pham Xuan Manh return to check whether the players’ physical condition is good enough to play or not.”
SPECIAL PLAN TO WELCOME THE VIETNAM OLYMPIC TEAM HOME
• On September 2, the Vietnam Olympic team will return home on a private plane of Vietnam Airlines. It is expected to land at Noi Bai airport (Hanoi) at 12:30.
• Upon landing at Noi Bai airport, the delegation will perform a water cannon spraying ceremony - a special aviation ceremony.
• Then the players will board an open-top bus and go to My Dinh National Stadium to interact with fans.
National Cup first leg: Defeating Thanh Hoa, SLNA puts one foot in the final
(Baonghean.vn) - Without Van Binh on the registration list, but with the excellent performance of two foreign players, Jeremie Lynch and Michael Olaha, SLNA had an emotional match at Thanh Hoa Stadium in the first leg of the 2018 National Cup semi-final.