Song Lam Nghe An and the fierce battle at V.League 2024/2025
Compared to last season, Song Lam Nghe An has received more investment this year, but unfortunately the achievements of the Nghe An team are still very modest. Ahead of coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team are many challenges that need to be overcome.
Last season, despite having to compete with two foreign players on a regular basis, Song Lam Nghe An, with its core of young players, still overcame difficulties successfully. At the beginning of the second leg,Lam River Nghe Anhave 14 points after 14 matches. However, at this point, with 3 foreign players with relatively good treatment, many important players have returned from injury, Song Lam Nghe An only has 12 points, 2 points less than at this time last season.
In the 2023/2024 season, Song Lam Nghe An scored 15 goals after 14 rounds and many unfortunate losses when conceding 19 goals, ranking 12th. This achievement at the present time is 9 goals and 22 goals conceded. A result that really makes Nghe An fans worried. This season, Song Lam Nghe An's away performance is too modest, in the past 7 away matches, Song Lam Nghe An did not win any match, drew 3 and lost 4.
Everyone knows that Song Lam Nghe An has a young squad, maybe luck has not come to Song Lam Nghe An despite their great efforts, but it could also be due to some professional reasons that have prevented Song Lam Nghe An from being able to fully develop their abilities. If compared with mid-level teams with quality not better than Song Lam Nghe An, it is clear that Quang Nam, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, and Ho Chi Minh City are doing what Song Lam Nghe An has not been able to do, which is being in a relatively safe position.
Looking at the situation on the rankings, Song Lam Nghe An is really "less good than more bad" when it has only 1 win more than the bottom team SHB Da Nang. To finish safely in V.League 2024/25, according to estimates, Song Lam Nghe An will need at least 30 points, which means about 18 more points in the remaining 12 matches. That is just an estimate, to be truly safe, Song Lam Nghe An will need even more points.
According to the schedule, Song Lam Nghe An will have 6 more home matches including matches against Hanoi Police, Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, Quang Nam, Hanoi, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh and Hoang Anh Gia Lai. Not having the advantage on away matches, in these 6 matches, Song Lam Nghe An must win against opponents that can be considered to be of equal strength such as Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, Quang Nam and Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
On the away field, Song Lam Nghe An also needs to improve their performance. Coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team will visit Ho Chi Minh City, Dong A Thanh Hoa, The Cong - Viettel, Hai Phong, Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Quang Nam in the return leg. Obviously, if they do not defeat their direct opponents in the relegation competition such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Quang Nam, the possibility of having to play the Play-off match is very high for Song Lam Nghe An. If they win 6 more matches, Song Lam Nghe An will have 18 more points. In addition, when facing strong and superior opponents, Song Lam Nghe An needs to try to win 1 point to further enhance their chances.
In the immediate future, defeating a strong opponent like Hanoi Police is a difficult task, but only by setting a goal of winning, Song Lam Nghe An will be more confident in the next stage. Hopefully, in the coming time, the teachers and students willCoach Phan Nhu Thuat will come back strong and fight tenaciously so that once again Nghe An fans can breathe a sigh of relief and witness the maturity of young players./.