SLNA - Hanoi: A difficult mission

The upcoming match against Hanoi FC is predicted to be a difficult match for SLNA. Photo courtesy

Surprisingly, after 9 rounds, SLNA is still among the few teams that have not won at home. Not only at Vinh Stadium, but in general, the performance of the Nghe team this season is the worst in the last 5 seasons.

The number of 7 points, ranked 13th, only 3 points above the bottom team Nam Dinh, says it all. What is even sadder is that SLNA is the only opponent that, up to now, the team from Thanh Nam has earned 3 points from.

10-match unbeaten streak

In the last two seasons, HAGL, Hanoi and SLNA are the three teams with the youngest average age in V-League. While HAGL and Hanoi are gradually rejuvenating, SLNA is forced to put young players on the field when they do not have enough funds to retain mature players.

Although having quality players such as Van Duc, Xuan Manh, Dinh Hoang, Tuan Tai… but due to their “immaturity”, the team’s performance lacks the necessary stability. This season, coach Duc Thang’s players have a good game but the attack cannot score goals.

Foreign player Oseni - Hanoi Club. Photo: Quang Minh

With the guidance of warriors Thanh Luong and Van Quyet, the young players of Thu Do defeated HAGL 5-0 at the beginning of the season. If they win at Vinh Stadium in the upcoming match, coach Van Sy Son and his team will set a record of 10 unbeaten matches in the V-League and become the best youth training center in Vietnam.

In the match at Vinh Stadium, midfielder Moses, goalkeeper Van Cong after the match against FLC Thanh Hoa was left on the bench and will be able to enter the field. Since they are not strangers to each other, coach Van Sy Son will leave out Ngan Van Dai to use a 5-man midfield, including Duc Huy, Hung Dung, Moses playing in the center, the wing midfield is Van Quyet and Quang Hai. Of course, foreign player Oseni is still the name that Que Ngoc Hai must remember first.

According to many experts, after FLC Thanh Hoa, it may not be until round 13 that the home team Hang Day Stadium will face difficulties against the away team Than Quang Ninh.

Fight for honor

With a gap of 16 points, the current situation on the field and past head-to-head records, SLNA is likely not Hanoi's opponent.

Van Khanh played with the spirit of a warrior. Photo: Dung Nguyen

Nghe An players can win in some specific confrontation situations but it is difficult to create a tight game, small passing combined with acceleration and pressure from foreign players like Hanoi FC.

In terms of class, the defense line including central defenders Dinh Trong and Duy Manh, left defender Van Hau, and right defender Van Kien are not as famous as the SLNA defenders but are much more solid.

The strength of SLNA players is their spirit. In a corner, they will fight with all their might for the national flag. Osmar's return is unintentionally creating chaos in the attack when Osmar and Olaha seem to have no significant connection. Olaha's retreat too low makes Osmar alone in the attack, while the question of who will be given the right midfield position has been a question for the past 9 rounds.

With the current tactical scheme, when attacking, the number of players participating is not much, which means that the Nghe An team has little chance to attack. More than anyone else, the coaching board must consider and calculate the plan to use Tuan Tai in a tactical scheme with Osmar.

No one thought that SLNA would lose to a weak team like Nam Dinh right on Vinh Stadium, so it is still possible for SLNA to score points against the strongest team in V-League at the moment. The key is that SLNA's coaching staff must do a good job of psychologically supporting the players and Van Duc and his teammates must seize the opportunity to score. Difficult, but not impossible!