Advantages of U21 Song Lam Nghe An in the final round of the National U21 tournament
The draw results not only helped U21 Song Lam Nghe An to be in a fairly easy group but also gave the young Nghe An team many other advantages to be able to go deep in this year's final round.
It must be affirmed,U21 Song Lam Nghe Anhad quite an advantage when being placed in group A - a group with the host team U21 Ho Chi Minh City Football Club, U21 SHB Da Nang and U21 PVF-CAND. These are not very prominent names in the qualifying round and are not highly rated compared to the general level in the final round.
Ho Chi Minh City Football Club U21 only ranked 3rd in Group E of the qualifying round and entered the final round as the host. Meanwhile, PVF-CAND U21 also only entered the final round this year as the third-placed team with the best record. Obviously, this is not a "death" group like Group B and Group C where names such as U21 The Cong Viettel, U21 PVF, U21 Hanoi, U21 Hoang Anh Gia Lai gather.
Among the three opponents in Group A, U21 SHB Da Nang is probably the most formidable name. This team played impressively in the qualifying round when they won first place in Group C and showed a cohesive and highly organized playing style. However, with what they showed throughout the qualifying campaign and the spirit that has been affirmed over many seasons, U21 Song Lam Nghe An is still considered to be superior in terms of experience and player quality.
The goal that coach Pham Anh Tuan and his team are aiming for is not only to pass the group stage, but also to win first place in Group A. If this is achieved, U21 Song Lam Nghe An will have many advantages in the knockout round. According to the tournament format, the team that wins Group A will avoid strong opponents such as U21 Hanoi, U21 PVF or U21 Viettel - the top candidates for the championship this year.
Avoiding the "big guys" in the knockout round not only reduces professional pressure, but also helpsNghe An football teamhave more time to prepare for crucial matches. The top spot is therefore not only a performance goal, but also a strategic step on the way to conquering the championship trophy.
In addition to the technical aspect, U21 Song Lam Nghe An also has another advantage in the match schedule. By competing in Group A - the group that takes place earlier than Group B and Group C - if they make it to the quarter-finals, the Nghe team will have an extra day off compared to the teams in the other groups. In a short tournament with a high competition density (2 days/match), this can make a huge difference in terms of physical and mental strength for young players.
In addition, the erratic weather in Ho Chi Minh City – where heavy rains and high humidity often occur – forces the teams to expend a lot of energy to compete. With a precious day off, U21 Song Lam Nghe An has more time to recover and adjust their tactics for the knockout stage.
Obviously, coach Pham Anh Tuan and his team have many favorable factors to conquer this year's tournament. From falling into an easy group, thereby having the opportunity to avoid heavy opponents in the early stages, to the advantages in the competition schedule - all open the big door for U21 Song Lam Nghe An to go far in the final round.National U21 Football Championship 2025.
Hopefully, with careful preparation and high determination, U21 Song Lam Nghe An will make good use of the current conditions to go further, even aiming for the championship. That is also the expectation of Nghe An fans after more than 10 years of waiting./.