Song Lam Nghe An suffered their second consecutive defeat against Binh Duong.
(Baonghean.vn) - Despite playing with a resilient spirit, Song Lam Nghe An could not turn the tide after conceding three goals. The match, part of Round 13 of the V.League 2023/2024, between Binh Duong and Song Lam Nghe An took place at Go Dau Stadium at 7 PM on March 9th.
Entering Round 13 of the V.League 2023/2024, coach Phan Như Thuật continued to use only two foreign players, with Mario Zebic positioned as a central defender alongside Lê Văn Thành. Meanwhile, Olaha partnered with Phan Xuân Đại to play as the furthest forward in the Nghệ An team's attack. Playing just behind this striker duo were Văn Việt, Quang Vinh, Bá Quyền, and Lê Văn Quý.
On the other side of the pitch, coach Le Huynh Duc fielded a very strong lineup including Janclesio, Bui Vi Hao, Nguyen Tien Linh, Tran Trung Hieu...
Determined to avoid further defeats and prevent falling into the relegation zone after the first half of the season, Song Lam Nghe An proactively adopted a defensive counter-attacking strategy from the moment the opening whistle blew at Go Dau Stadium. The lightning-fast attacks from coach Nhu Thuat's players caused significant difficulties for the Binh Duong defenders.
In the 6th minute, Xuan Dai made a determined run from midfield and delivered a perfectly timed through pass to Olaha, the number 7 striker who unleashed a decisive shot, but he couldn't beat Binh Duong's goalkeeper Minh Toan.
In the following minutes, Song Lam Nghe An played very proactively. Coach Phan Nhu Thuat's players confidently controlled the ball and coordinated their play quite smoothly. This style of play from the Nghe An team reduced the pressure on Tuan Linh and his teammates. In addition, Binh Duong's defense also struggled to cope with the varied attacks of the visiting team.
However, despite numerous attacks, Song Lam Nghe An failed to score and paid the price with a goal conceded in the 28th minute. From a quick counter-attack, Tien Linh took a shot inside the penalty area, the ball hitting Mario Zebic's hand. The referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. From the 11-meter mark, Tien Linh easily beat Van Viet to open the scoring for Binh Duong.
After scoring the goal, the home team's players played with great enthusiasm, constantly creating dangerous situations in front of Van Viet's goal. In the 32nd minute, amidst a scramble in front of the visitors' goal, midfielder Minh Khoa received the ball in a favorable position and unleashed a powerful shot, but the ball went wide of the post.
Towards the end of the first half, Song Lam Nghe An pushed their formation higher in an attempt to find an equalizer. This put significant pressure on Minh Toan's goal. In the 44th minute, Olaha dribbled down the wing and delivered a cross into the box, the ball found Ba Quyen's feet, but the midfielder's shot was blocked by the home team's central defenders.
In the second half, aiming to increase attacking power, coach Phan Như Thuật decided to bring Mạnh Quỳnh onto the field to replace Lê Văn Quý. However, before the attack could make a difference, Sông Lam Nghệ An conceded a second goal in the 52nd minute. From a counter-attack, Atshimene delivered a through pass to Tiến Linh. The Bình Dương captain then found the back of the net for the second time, after beating Văn Việt in a one-on-one situation.
The disadvantage continued to mount for the visiting team, because shortly afterwards, during a challenge, the referee ruled that Van Huy had struck his opponent off the ball. The player received a direct red card and was sent off.
Despite playing with ten men, Song Lam Nghe An created a dangerous opportunity in front of Minh Toan's goal. Substitute player Manh Quynh made a solo run, dribbling past several Binh Duong defenders before unleashing a powerful shot, but the ball hit the post, denying the visitors a chance to narrow the gap.
However, with their numerical advantage, Binh Duong continued to extend their lead to 3-0 in the 80th minute. In a situation where Tuan Canh broke through the offside trap, the midfielder made a perfect pass to Atshimene, who beat Van Viet and scored against Song Lam Nghe An.
Immediately after conceding the third goal, from a corner kick, Olaha rose high to head the ball into the net, reducing the score to 1-3 for Song Lam Nghe An.
The final minutes of the match were dramatic, as Song Lam Nghe An scored their second goal to narrow the gap to 2-3. From a set piece, the ball bounced between Minh Toan's goalposts before finding its way to Manh Quynh's feet. The midfielder unleashed a diagonal shot, finding the back of the net against Binh Duong.
However, despite their best efforts until the very last seconds, the visiting team was unable to earn any points at Go Dau Stadium. The final score was 3-2 in favor of Binh Duong.
After this round, the V.League will take a break for round 14, which will resume on March 30th. Song Lam Nghe An will return to their home ground to host Hai Phong.