Thanh's 'blunt attack' meets Nghe's 'firm defense'

Thanh Hung• June 10, 2020 13:57

(Baonghean.vn) - The away team SLNA is flying high thanks to its defense, while the home team Thanh Hoa is facing a series of different problems, especially the ineffectiveness of its attack.

After the first 3 rounds, SLNA is the only team that has not conceded a single goal. Under the guidance of coach Ngo Quang Truong, SLNA's defense is still as solid as last season. In V.League 2019, the goalkeepers of the Nghe team only had to pick the ball out of the net 26 times, the fewest in the tournament.

It is worth mentioning that at the present time, the Vinh home team no longer has the services of goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh, center-back Memovic, right-back Tran Dinh Hoang and most recently center-back, captain Hoang Van Khanh (injured). Clearly, coach Ngo Quang Truong and his colleagues are turning SLNA's defense into an "unbreakable defense system".

SLNA is flying high thanks to its defense "launching pad". Photo: Xuan Thuy

270 minutes of keeping a clean sheet against the attacks of strikers from Saigon, B.Binh Duong and SHB Da Nang is proof of the solidity of SLNA's defense. Therefore, in the upcoming away match against the home team Thanh Hoa, the defense continues to be a reliable support for the Nghe team, with the goal of leaving Thanh with points in hand.

One of the reasons that makes coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team feel more confident in this trip to Thanh Hoa is the very low scoring efficiency of the home team. Although possessing many famous assassins such as Hoang Vu Samson, Hoang Dinh Tung, Le Van Thang..., Thanh Hoa has only scored 1 goal. And that only goal came from a free kick by defender Nguyen Vu Hoang Duong (match against Quang Nam).

- Hoàng Vũ Samson vẫn chưa có được bàn thắng nào cho Thanh Hóa.Ảnh: VPF

Hoang Vu Samson has yet to score a goal for Thanh Hoa. Photo: VPF

That does not mean that the home team's strikers' task of scoring against the away team is impossible. Besides the appearance of new coach Nguyen Thanh Cong on the coaching bench, Thanh Hoa also has the home field advantage, which was considered a "dangerous land" for SLNA in the past. According to statistics, since 2005 until now, in 15 visits to Thanh Hoa (on all fronts), only 2 times did the Nghe team return with an intact net (National Cup 2005 and V.League 2014).

Let's wait and see if Thanh Hoa's attack is "less dull" or SLNA's defense is still "as solid as a rock"?

Thanh Hung