What does Song Lam Nghe An need to do to get points against the visiting team Ho Chi Minh City Police?
The match between Song Lam Nghe An and Ho Chi Minh City Police will take place on September 27 at Vinh Stadium within the framework of round 5 of V.League 2025/26. Facing an opponent with high morale and many stars, the Nghe team can only hope to keep the score if they dare to attack fiercely and make the most of their home field advantage.
SLNAshouldtake offense to make up for defense
SLNA suffered a loss when central defender Hoang Van Khanh was injured, making the already fragile defense even more uncertain. Coach Phan Nhu Thuat will likely put his trust in the central defender pair Julian Garcia - Tran Nam Hai, while the two wings will be guarded by Vuong Van Huy and Ho Van Cuong. However, with this system, the ability to withstand attacks from Tien Linh or Utizig Raphael is very worrying.
In the midfield, the presence of Ba Quyen, Enrique, Long Vu, Ngo Van Luong and Khac Ngoc can only ensure balance. But to turn the situation around, SLNA needs more than just sprinting, passing to the wings or shooting from afar. If they only defend passively, the Nghe An team can easily fall into a state of empty-handedness.
In that context, the attack line becomes the hope of survival. Olaha is still the main spearhead with the ability to compete and maneuver in the penalty area. He needs more support from the second line, especially the passes and accurate crosses from the wing. Khac Ngoc's long-range shooting ability also needs to be promoted to create more pressure.
TBig challenge for Vinh home team
While SLNA has only 4 points after 4 matches, largely thanks to the surprise victory over the defending champion, CA TP.HCM is flying high with 10 points. Under the guidance of coach Le Huynh Duc, the city team has become a unified collective. Besides bright stars like goalkeeper Patrick Le Giang or striker Tien Linh, lesser-known players like Quoc Cuong, Kha Duc or Gia Bao have also integrated well, turning CA TP.HCM into a smoothly running machine.
Foreign players Matheus Felipe, Makrillos Peter and Utizig Raphael have not really exploded, but still have made important contributions. In particular, the convincing victory over Becamex TP.HCM in the last round further strengthened their confidence before the away match at Vinh Stadium.
In that context, SLNA had no choice but to take the initiative to play offensively. A fierce game from the start not only helped the home team take advantage of the audience, but also was a way to restrain the excitement of the opponent. If SLNA continued to choose a cautious approach and a compact defense, they would put themselves in a difficult position.
This match therefore requires alertness to choose the right tactics. SLNA will either attack fiercely to gain points, or accept being left behind. With the expectations of the Nghe audience, it is time for the team to show the fiery spirit that is their identity.