What does SLNA need to do to keep the 2017 National Cup at Vinh Stadium?

(Baonghean.vn) - The Nghe An team is only 90 minutes away from the 2017 National Cup. Will SLNA's 6-year title drought end after the second leg of the final against B. Binh Duong? The answer will be revealed on the afternoon of November 30.

No ordinary customer

Defeating their opponents right on Go Dau Stadium (2-1), coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team only need to draw or at least lose with a score of 0-1 in this match to automatically lift the 2017 National Cup championship. The task seems simple, but is actually extremely difficult for the Nghe An team.

At present, B.Binh Duong is in quite good form with 2 consecutive victories against Long An (4-0) and Sanna Khanh Hoa (3-2) in V.League 2017. Going to Vinh stadium, the goal of Anh Duc and his teammates is nothing other than to defeat the home team to win the National Cup.

To be fair, in the first leg of the final on November 9, B.Binh Duong did not lose because they played badly. It was just that luck turned its back on coach Tran Binh Su and his team and goalkeeper Nguyen Manh of SLNA who played so well.

However, the team from Thu Dau Mot still has 90 minutes at Vinh Stadium to turn the tide. If they play reasonably, the championship trophy is still not too far away from Anh Duc and his teammates. Remember, the last time B.Binh Duong visited Vinh Stadium in the National Cup was a 2-0 victory over SLNA in the round of 16 in 2014.

Striker Anh Duc has just won the title of Top Scorer of V.League 2017. Photo: Internet

It seems that repeating the results of more than 3 years ago is not an impossible task for B.Binh Duong. Although the squad is no longer full of stars like in previous seasons, veteran coach Tran Binh Su still has very high-quality players.

Guarding the goal is former national player Tan Truong, the defenders are Xuan Luan, Michal Nguyen, Dinh Hoang Max, the attackers are the 2017 V.League top scorer - Anh Duc and foreign player Dugary... B.Binh Duong is still a formidable team, the 1-1 draw on the field of FLC Thanh Hoa or the 3-2 victory right on the field on August 19 against Sanna Khanh Hoa has partly shown the strength of the team from Thu Dau Mot.

Owner determined to win the Cup

On the other side of the front line, the home team SLNA is also very determined to win the title after 6 years of empty hands. After the 2-1 victory in the first leg of the final, coach Nguyen Duc Thang affirmed:

“We will face more difficulties when returning to Vinh Stadium, B. Binh Duong has the strongest squad. SLNA needs to quickly forget this victory and focus on the difficult match ahead. SLNA will not disappoint the expectations of home fans.”

CEO Ho Van Chiem also clearly stated: "The National Cup is SLNA's number 1 goal." That is enough to show how great the Nghe An team's desire to win the 2017 National Cup is."

SLNA has a big advantage after a 2-1 victory right at Go Dau Stadium. Photo: Internet

Therefore, in the match against FLC Thanh Hoa in the final round of V.League 2017, SLNA's coaching staff kept 9/11 key players on the bench. The intention of the Vinh team was to create conditions for their best players to rest before entering the most important battle of the whole season.

With the home field advantage and a 2-1 victory in the first leg, SLNA has a much more confident mentality than the team led by coach Tran Binh Su. The home team has no need to rush to the opponent's field. Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's students will play a tight defense, taking advantage of the gaps in B. Binh Duong's defense to launch sharp counterattacks.

In theory, it is like that, but the reality on the field is much more unpredictable. The attack line with Phi Son, Olaha, Khac Ngoc, Van Duc can make Nghe An fans feel secure. However, the defense line does not bring a real sense of security.

In the last 6 consecutive matches (5 matches in V.League, 1 match in National Cup), SLNA has conceded goals (9 goals) due to various reasons such as individual mistakes, system mistakes or subjective mentality. Obviously, against a highly rated attack line including Anh Duc, Hoai Nam, Dugary, just a small mistake can make Nguyen Manh and his teammates regret.

Don't underestimate your opponent B. Binh Duong - they are still a force in Vietnamese football, even though at the end of V.League 2017, coach Tran Binh Su and his team only finished in 11th place. There is a saying, "caution is the best thing to do". If the Nghe An team plays calmly and does not underestimate the opponent, the 2017 National Cup will stay at Vinh Stadium./.

Thanh Hung