Echoes of the Nghe Tinh Derby
Despite having the advantage of leading the table and playing with one more player from the 15th minute, Song Lam Nghe An was still held to a 1-1 draw by the neighboring team.
Disappointing draw
With home field advantage, Song Lam Nghe An tried to put pressure onHong Linh Ha Tinhright in the first minutes of the match. As a result, the Nghe An team got an early goal thanks to center back Julian Garcia.
Not stopping there, the home team also had a huge advantage when defender Huynh Tan Tai received a red card in the 15th minute after a rough tackle on Vuong Van Huy. However, Song Lam Nghe An showed that they were inferior to Hong Linh Ha Tinh in the remaining minutes of the match.
Coach Nguyen Cong Manh's team played very bravely to create pressure on goalkeeper Cao Van Binh's goal. These efforts were rewarded with an equalizer by midfielder Viktor Le in the second half.
With this draw, Derby Nghe Tinh had their 7th draw after 10 matches. Song Lam Nghe An continued to extend their unbeaten streak against Hong Linh Ha Tinh to 8. But this was a disappointing draw for coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team after the huge advantages they held in this match.
Julian Garcia's Great Return
After a disappointing debut, centre-back Julian Garcia has made a great comeback. The Trinidad and Tobago centre-back's brilliance helped to shut down striker Atshimene Charles in the last match.
In addition, theJulian Garciawas the one who scored the opening goal for Song Lam Nghe An after a precise header. It can be said that Julian Garcia is one of the best players on the home team. And the return of the Trinidad and Tobago midfielder will help the Nghe team feel more secure in their defense.
Onoja Joseph Scanner
Not Julian Garcia, not Viktor Le, Onoja Joseph was the best player of the match. The Nigerian midfielder played very energetically and was present at every hot spot on the field. It was Onoja Joseph's excellence that helped Hong Linh Ha Tinh dominate the match despite having to play with one less player from very early on.
The excellence of the Nigerian midfielder made Nghe An fans even more regretful when Song Lam Nghe An missed out on Onoja Joseph in the last transfer window.
Tactical question mark
What fans found most confusing was Song Lam Nghe An’s incredibly conservative playing style. After taking the lead and having an advantage over the other team, instead of continuing to press and look for more goals, the home team took the initiative to retreat, giving the game to their opponents.
The defensive play put increasing pressure on goalkeeper Cao Van Binh's goal. However, the coaching staff did not make timely tactical adjustments. The lack of flexibility in the way the game was deployed was part of the reason.Lam River Nghe Androp the victory.
It can be said that this was a match in which Song Lam Nghe An did not have the desire to win even though they held many advantages in their hands. And the draw result accurately reflected the match's developments on the field.