SHB Da Nang - SLNA: Can Nghe An dike block the Korean wave?

In the match SLNA - Hanoi FC (1 - 2), central defender Ngoc Hai was given a yellow card by referee Truong Hong Vu after a foul on striker Oseni. This is the third yellow card that the player wearing the number 4 shirt has received since the beginning of V.League 2018. That also means that Ngoc Hai will not be able to play in the match between SHB Da Nang and SLNA in round 11 taking place today (June 3).

Also absent with Ngoc Hai are central defender Van Khanh and right-back Dinh Hoang. Both players suffered injuries in recent matches. Van Khanh received 15 stitches in his head during SLNA's away match against HAGL, while Dinh Hoang suffered an injury to his left leg during the Nghe An team's loss to Hanoi FC.

Central defender duo Ngoc Hai - Van Khanh will not be able to play in the match against SHB Da Nang. Photo: Internet

Thus, SLNA came to Hoa Xuan Stadium with 4/5 positions in the defense being reserve players (goalkeeper number 1 Nguyen Manh has not yet fully recovered from his injury). It can be said that the defense of the Nghe An team has never been in such a dire situation as it is now. The ability of goalkeeper Vu Hai to keep a clean sheet is too fragile.

Don't forget, SHB Da Nang owns a formidable "killer" duo, Do Merlo - Duc Chinh. With ideal physique and physical strength, this striker pair has the ability to sweep and fight extremely dangerously in the air. Although Do Merlo - Duc Chinh only have a total of 5 goals in V.League this year (Duc Chinh has 3 goals), no defense dares to underestimate them.

SLNA is no exception, especially when the "steel central defender pair" Ngoc Hai - Van Khanh have to sit out. Most likely, The Nhat will be arranged to play alongside Manh Hung in the center of defense.

From experience to stability, the duo Manh Hung - The Nhat are not highly rated. They rarely play on the field (Manh Hung played 343 minutes, The Nhat has not played a single minute in V.League 2018), and rarely play together, making it difficult for them to find a common voice.

Having to play away against SHB Da Nang at this time is something that the coaching staff, players and fans of SLNA do not want at all. With a defense that is "lacking in the front and back" like now, the Nghe An team will not easily get points to leave Hoa Xuan Stadium, like the last 2 times they did (won 1-0 in the second leg of V.League 2017 and won 3-1 in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the National Cup 2018).

Do Merlo (number 19) is extremely dangerous with his aerial ability. Photo: Internet

In terms of form and personnel, the home team SHB Da Nang is slightly better than SLNA. According to statistics in the last 3 rounds of V.League 2018, the team of the Han River has a record of 1 win, 2 draws, while SLNA's result is 2 losses, 1 draw.

In contrast to his colleague on the other side of the battle line, coach Nguyen Minh Phuong has the strongest force, more or less showing the difference between the two teams.

However, that does not mean that the opportunity to score points for coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team is impossible. Hoa Xuan Stadium now and Chi Lang Stadium in the past, usually do not cause much difficulty for the Nghe An team. In the last 4 away matches against SHB Da Nang in all competitions, SLNA did not have to accept any defeat (won 3, drew 1). That is the basis for Van Duc and his teammates to be more confident in the upcoming match.

In short, the goal of winning at least 1 point is still within reach of coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team. The problem is that they must overcome all shortcomings and successfully take advantage of their existing advantages to achieve a positive result./.