SLNA - There is a 'river' flowing

(Baonghean.vn) - Honestly, even if SLNA hadn't won yesterday, fans in Nghe An would still have been satisfied with the players' fighting spirit on the field. They played as if it were their last match in the jersey, giving their all and showing great responsibility..

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

It's too early to say anything about professional progress after SLNA's 2-1 comeback victory against a supposedly stronger opponent, SHB Da Nang. But one thing is certain: that "river" has, to some extent, showcased the identity of a team with a rich tradition.

Family

Fans from Nghe An province, familiar with the team, were surprised by the team's performance, as this was the best season SLNA had prepared for in recent years. On the coaching bench, the new head coach, Duc Thang, has been very considerate towards his two senior colleagues, Van Thinh and Anh Tuan. The SLNA coaching staff has clearly assigned roles to each individual, so the team remains harmonious and is considered united and focused on the collective good.

The SLNA players put in a strong effort in the match. Photo by D.A.

For his players, Duc Thang has taken utmost care of their well-being, both materially and spiritually. Defender Tran Dinh Hoang must be very grateful for the enthusiastic intervention of head coach Duc Thang, who contacted Bac A to provide an additional 100 million VND for injury treatment. While in previous years there were still one or two "troublemakers" in training and daily life, now the SLNA players all show a high level of unity with the coaching staff. The strict reward and punishment system has made the young team increasingly disciplined.

It's well known that when things are peaceful in the dressing room, a team can easily thrive, but that hasn't happened for SLNA. Time and again, they've found themselves in a situation where they've been on the verge of victory, repeatedly conceding equalizing goals in injury time, and even losing 2-4 after leading Quang Nam 2-0. It's safe to say SLNA has everything except their first home win as a gift to their fans. How ironic!

Mental factors

Along with the coaching staff's excellent psychological preparation for the players before the match, the news of XSKT.Can Tho and Long An's defeats boosted the confidence of the entire SLNA team when facing SHB.Da Nang. Even when conceding an early goal, the players from Nghe An still showed great attacking spirit, besieging the opponent's goal.

It had been a long time since we'd seen the two "veterans" Minh Duc and Van Vinh play the full 90 minutes of a match (Phuc Tinh replaced Van Vinh in the 90+1 minute), giving their all in every crucial area. Van Vinh neutralized Hoang Thien and limited Eydison's defensive support from afar. Meanwhile, Minh Duc helped Ngoc Duc gain more confidence on the left wing, supporting him in boldly going forward to attack.

This was also a match where The Cuong and Phi Son operated widely, constantly carrying the ball and penetrating goalkeeper Thanh Binh's goal. SLNA's attacking triangle, with The Cuong and Phi Son as the two vertices and the foreign players as the third, kept David and A Mit constantly on the defensive.

Joy has returned to SLNA fans - Photo by D.A.

It had been a long time since SLNA had played such a complete game: quick passing, attacking down the flanks, long-range shots, central attacks, crosses for headers… with a fairly high tempo and the participation of a large number of players. When they lost possession, SLNA midfielders immediately chased down the opponent and did everything possible to limit their counter-attacks, successfully isolating and disrupting striker Duc Chinh. The deliberate fouls committed by the Nghe An players quickly exhausted Duc Chinh and prevented him from showcasing his usual technical skills.

For a long time, people have only seen SLNA win first and then gradually lose control of the game. But this time, they saw Duc Thang's team do the opposite, coming back from a deficit. Perhaps foreign player Olaha still lacks his goal-scoring touch, but SLNA had Henry by their side. Henry's and Khac Ngoc's two goals were a reward for the home team after 80 minutes of relentless pressure on their opponent, confirming that, if they play with the right spirit, SLNA is a difficult team for any opponent.

We can't forget the element of luck that contributed to our first victory at Vinh Stadium in the V-League 2017, but if we hadn't been bold enough to take possession and attack, there wouldn't have been any goals.

When hearts rejoice again, fans will return to the stadium, that's for sure. People have the right to hope that the stands at Vinh Stadium will gradually fill with spectators, starting with the upcoming match against B.Binh Duong. That's the way the fans from Nghe An are: "They may be angry, but their love only grows stronger!"

AT