SLNA officially enters a turning point.

Currently in 5th place, SLNA is 11 points behind the league leaders but only 10 points ahead of bottom-placed S. Khánh Hòa. SLNA has the same 23 points as the teams in 6th and 7th place, Viettel and SHB Đà Nẵng, and is only 5 points ahead of 13th-placed Quảng Nam, meaning things could change very quickly in the next 3 rounds.

Finding luck in misfortune

In Round 18, SLNA will travel to Nam Dinh, while Viettel will host Quang Nam and SHB Da Nang will host Saigon. This is a match where the Nghe An team will be playing without foreign players, as both Michael Olaha and Damir Memović will be suspended due to accumulating three yellow cards.

This is the time for Tuan Tai and Xuan Manh to show their class. Photo: SLNA Supporters Club.

Meanwhile, the home team at Thien Truong Stadium has a significant advantage playing at home and fielding three foreign players along with naturalized player Le Van Phu. In 8 home games, the Van Sy brothers and the Nam Dinh players have earned 19 points, trailing only Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the "kings of home games," by just one point. Quite a few teams, such as the reigning champions Hanoi and recently Thanh Hoa, have suffered crushing defeats at Thien Truong Stadium.

The Brazilian striker duo Gustavo and Diogo Pereira have only recently played together but have already shown good chemistry. They frequently move wide, stretching the opposing defenders to create space for midfielders Sy Minh and Manh Hung to occupy advantageous positions. Besides scoring goals, Gustavo and Diogo Pereira are also capable of creating chances. A major challenge for the visiting team is the absence of SLNA's Serbian center-back, Damir Memović.

Typically, when the opposing team is tired, coach Van Dung will bring on the diminutive and fast The Vuong to replace Manh Hung, whose playing style is more focused on technique and penetrating runs. Nam Dinh's two foreign players have long-range shots that are no less impressive than those of Van Toan and Tuan Anh (HAGL), who recently scored against goalkeeper Nguyen Manh.

Landlord's loophole

Observing teams that have beaten Nam Dinh, such as Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, or S. Khanh Hoa (who even won at Thien Truong Stadium), it's clear they all employ a tactic of attacking down the flanks. This forces center-backs E. Agbaji and Le Van Phu to come out to defend, exposing their weaknesses right in front of goalkeeper Dinh Xuan Viet. These two center-backs are strong in one-on-one challenges but are slow and clumsy in the penalty area.

The tactic of Thanh Tinh (SHB.Da Nang) cutting down the left wing and then passing the ball back to Anh Tuan, who was charging forward to score, is something that coach Duc Thang and the SLNA players need to study. Michael Olaha's absence from the game is a good opportunity for Tuan Tai to move up to play as a striker.

In our opinion, Xuan Thang is currently the preferred partner for this number 10 striker; their short passing combination is quite effective. When Dinh Hoang comes on, Xuan Manh will have the opportunity to move up to play as a winger.

Despite having a fairly good home record, Nam Dinh also lost 1-2 to visiting team S. Khanh Hoa at Thien Truong Stadium. With a solid defense, SLNA can still aim for a point, or even a victory, away from home.

The target is at least 5 points.

SLNA's coaching staff needs to accurately calculate their trajectory when "turning corners". Photo: SLNA Supporters Club.

According to calculations, if SLNA doesn't get at least 5 points in the next 3 matches, it will be difficult for them to maintain their position in the top 10. Many believe that the SLNA coaching staff is planning to "clear the yellow cards" so that the foreign players can play with peace of mind.Viettel and Hai Phong will play at Vinh Stadium.

However, those familiar with the Nghe An team believe that, in this context, few coaches would choose such a risky option. No one can be 80% sure that SLNA will win against two opponents considered difficult to play against in the V.League. For many years, Vinh Stadium has been a "favorite destination" for the Hai Phong team; they always leave Vinh with a "gift to take home".

In the first 13 matches of the season, SLNA only conceded 9 goals, but after 4 matches in the second half, the team from Nghe An has conceded 7 goals. The defensive shield in front of SLNA's two central defenders has disappeared in recent matches. When the attack is not sharp, the defense must be strong; that is what the team from Nghe An needs to do as they "turn the corner".