SLNA - FLC Thanh Hoa: Guests overwhelm the hosts
(Baonghean.vn) - The result of the North Central derby match that will take place at Vinh Stadium has great significance for the TOP 3 battle of both SLNA and FLC Thanh Hoa.
Condition
At this time, SLNA would have been in 3rd place - the position that FLC Thanh Hoa is holding, if coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team had not let Than Quang Ninh score 2 consecutive goals in the final minutes, bringing the match in round 23 to an end with a score of 2 - 2.
Losing 2 points at Cam Pha Stadium is a huge regret for the Nghe An team. Especially since SLNA’s competition for a place in the TOP 3 has yet to come to an end.
Currently, the score gap between the home team and FLC Thanh Hoa is only 1 point. If they defeat the Thanh team, SLNA will take the 3rd place. Otherwise, the Nghe team will still have to stand behind their neighbor on the rankings.
More dangerously, in case of losing to FLC Thanh Hoa, Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates will be left with a gap of up to 4 points.
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| SLNA just lost 2 points at Cam Pha Stadium. Photo courtesy |
With only 2 more rounds left in the season, with that difference in points, the chance for SLNA to regain 3rd place from Hoang Dinh Tung and his teammates is extremely small.
Therefore, “to avoid a long night of dreams”, the Nghe team must defeat the Thanh team in the upcoming 24th round. The ultimate mission of Thang “dinosaur” and his team is nothing other than winning.
The goal is set like that, but whether the Vinh team can complete it is a big question. In all aspects, FLC Thanh Hoa is not inferior to SLNA. Since the domestic tournament resumed after a break, making way for the Vietnam Olympic team to participate in ASIAD 18, the performance of the Thanh team is more impressive than the Nghe team.
Statistical
In addition to the 4-0 victory over SLNA in the second leg of the National Cup semi-finals (September 5), FLC Thanh Hoa also defeated HAGL 3-0 at Pleiku Stadium, crushed former champion Quang Nam FC 5-0 and only let Nam Dinh hold them to a 2-2 draw in a match where the Thanh team had 2 players sent off (Rimario, Tran Dinh Dong). Meanwhile, SLNA only had 2 losses, 1 draw and 1 win in the last 4 matches.
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| FLC Thanh Hoa is in good form. Photo: Internet |
Not only was the Nghe team inferior in form, they also lost their home field advantage to FLC Thanh Hoa. The last two times they hosted the Thanh team at the "fire pan of Vinh", SLNA lost both (the second leg of V.League 2017 lost 0-1, the second leg of the National Cup 2018 semi-final lost 0-4).
Moreover, at the V.League playground, Mr. Thang "dinosaur" and his team also lost to FLC Thanh Hoa in the last 3 meetings (V.League 2017: lost 0-2 in the first leg, lost 0-1 in the second leg. V.League 2018: lost 0-1 in the first leg).
From what has just been mentioned, it can be affirmed that the away team is slightly better than the home team. However, Nghe An fans still have reason to believe in a victory for SLNA, which is the return of goalkeeper Phan Dinh Vu Hai and midfielder Phan Van Duc (Pham Xuan Manh is still uncertain whether he will be present or not).
On the other side of the battle line, FLC Thanh Hoa will welcome the return of Rimario, but will not have the service of defender Tran Dinh Dong (suspended).
It seems that we will have to wait until the end of the match to know exactly which team will win. This North Central derby promises to be more fierce and exciting./.
