SLNA wins the Nghe An - Tinh Gia Derby.

SLNA players celebrating a goal. Photo: Chung Nguyen

It has been a long time since Vinh Stadium welcomed such a large crowd to cheer on the match between the two neighboring teams - SLNA and Hong Linh Ha Tinh.
Before entering the stadium, the fan clubs of both teams engaged in activities demonstrating friendship from both sides of the Lam River. Many streets in Vinh City witnessed vibrant displays of support in red and yellow. The song "Connecting Hands" was sung loudly by fans of both teams throughout the parade. This was a display of solidarity and camaraderie that few football teams can match.

Thirty minutes before the match, the stands were packed with fans. This further fueled the excitement of both teams' players. The yellow-shirted strikers kept the promise that coach Huy Hoang had made before the match, that they "would deliver a beautiful and exciting derby match."

Throughout the 90 minutes, the Nghe An team consistently displayed a fierce fighting spirit, high speed, and many beautiful passing combinations. It's no exaggeration to say that Coach Huy Hoang has completely transformed SLNA's playing style since taking over. The cohesion between the lines, the versatile style of play, and the players' confidence were most clearly demonstrated in this match.

Oseni created several dangerous situations in front of the visiting team's goal. Photo: Chung Nguyen

Entering Round 7 of the V.League 2022, SLNA, besides Ojong Mark's long-term injury, also had Tran Dinh Hoang unavailable due to a red card received in the match against Ho Chi Minh City FC. The young 19-year-old defender, Ho Van Cuong, was entrusted by coach Huy Hoang to fill this position. Notably, in the Nghe Tinh Derby, both SLNA and Hong Linh Ha Tinh only played with two foreign players, but this did not significantly affect the quality of the match.

In the opening minutes, with enthusiastic support from the fans, the SLNA players started the match with great energy. Olaha's mobility in the 5th minute created an opportunity for left-back Mai Sỹ Hoàng to break the deadlock. However, the number 29 of the Nghe An club failed to execute the move as desired, so the score remained unchanged for SLNA.

Xuan Manh had an excellent second game in his new position. Photo: Chung Nguyen

Although the two teams knew each other very well, that didn't diminish the opportunities. SLNA, with their familiar 3-5-2 formation, displayed quite smooth passing combinations. In this match, Van Duc played the role of a box-to-box midfielder. This national team player had a wide range of activity and was the target of the attacking moves created by the home team.

As expected, Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong's team opted for a defensive counter-attacking style in this match. However, that couldn't trouble SLNA's attack. The players from Nghe An province remained confident in executing their coordinated plays.

And the fans from Nghe An province were rewarded in the 15th minute. Striker Oseni opened the scoring for SLNA. From a cross from the left wing by Mai Sy Hoang, the striker wearing number 91 positioned himself well and headed the ball into the top corner, beating goalkeeper Quang Tuan of Hong Linh Ha Tinh.

After conceding a goal, Hong Linh Ha Tinh no longer retreated into a defensive posture, but pushed their formation higher to look for an equalizer. Attacks involving striker Paollo caused many difficulties for Van Khanh and his teammates.

Although they didn't maintain the attacking momentum they had in the opening minutes, SLNA still created numerous persistent threats to the opponent's goal. The chemistry between the Nigerian striker duo created several dangerous moments for goalkeeper Quang Tuan. In the 30th minute, from a pass by Olaha, Oseni executed a beautiful feint. The number 91 player then unleashed a shot towards the near corner, but unfortunately, the ball narrowly missed the target.

Towards the end of the first half, SLNA created a few more opportunities, however, the score remained unchanged after the first 45 minutes.

Young defender Ho Van Cuong made a strong impression in this match. Photo: Chung Nguyen

Entering the second half, the Nghe An team continued to put pressure on the opponent's goal. However, the main attacking force shifted more to the right wing, where Ho Van Cuong was present. The speed and energy of the defender wearing jersey number 30 created a fresh dynamic in the home team's attacking play.

In the 57th minute of the match, Phan Văn Đức nearly scored a spectacular goal. From a position in his own half, Phan Văn Đức noticed goalkeeper Quang Tuấn had advanced high up the pitch and took a daring shot, which went just over the crossbar. However, the missed opportunity stunned thousands of fans in the stands.

Towards the end of the second half, coach Nguyen Thanh Cong decided to bring in foreign player Abdul Basit to improve the attack. The combination of the two foreign strikers sparked some hope in the visitors' attacking moves. However, the excellent performance of Van Hoang of SLNA prevented Hong Linh Ha Tinh from equalizing the score.

In the final minutes of the match, although Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong's players tried their best to push forward and find an equalizer, relying solely on Paullo's brilliance was not enough to defeat Que Ngoc Hai and Van Khanh.

At the end of the match, SLNA won with a score of 1-0. With this victory, the team from Nghe An temporarily moved to the top of the V.League 2022 standings. In round 8, SLNA will play away at Hoa Xuan Stadium against the home team SHB Da Nang.