SLNA - Khanh Hoa: Completely destroy the 'nemesis', get all 3 points?

(Baonghean.vn) - Both the home team and the away team have just had a not-so-successful match. The confrontation at Vinh Stadium on January 18 is an opportunity for SLNA or Sanna Khanh Hoa to dispel the existing disappointment.

Having to continuously receive disappointing results in the last 2 rounds against FLC Thanh Hoa (lost 0-2) and XSKT Can Tho (1-1) has put the Nghe An team under a lot of pressure from fans.

The difficulties of the 2016 season have not been resolved, now there are many more headaches for head coach Nguyen Duc Thang and the SLNA coaching staff. The best solution at this time is nothing other than the best possible result against the "dark horse" Sanna Khanh Hoa right at Vinh Stadium.

Despite playing at home, the advantage that coach Nguyen Duc Thang's players have is not much. The fans turning their backs has left Vinh Stadium in a state of sparse spectators.

As evidence, in the recent match with XSKT Can Tho, the “fire pan of Vinh” only welcomed about 3 thousand people to cheer. A dull atmosphere is covering the entire Vinh stadium. Not receiving enthusiastic cheers from fans, the players’ spirit is also affected significantly.

Meeting Sanna Khanh Hoa is an opportunity for SLNA players to gain their first victory. Photo: Internet

After the adjustments of the coaching board in the reception of XSKT Can Tho, it seems that SLNA is gradually showing positive signs in the playing style. Although the defense still plays quite shaky with errors coming from individual handling, the attack has found a connection between the positions. The two foreign players Henry - Olaha seem to have caught up with the general playing style of the whole team. Henry's goal against goalkeeper Buu Ngoc (XSKT Can Tho) came from Olaha's efforts to dribble and cross the wing.

Now is the time, coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team are in a position with their backs against the wall. Another bad match will make the team sink deeper into crisis and lose the remaining patience of Nghe An fans. Facing a tough opponent like Sanna Khanh Hoa, SLNA's mission is still to win all 3 points.

To achieve that goal, mistakes like those of Que Ngoc Hai and Pham Manh Hung must not be allowed to happen again. Along with that, the players on the attack line including The Cuong, Phi Son, Olaha, Henry... need to make the most of the opportunities they have.

Sanna Khanh Hoa marched to Vinh Stadium in a rather disappointed mood, the consequence of the bitter defeat right on the "holy land" of August 19 against the visiting team FLC Thanh Hoa. To be fair, in the match against the Thanh team in the second round, coach Vo Dinh Tan's students played quite well with a better position than their opponents, but unfortunately their strikers could not successfully take advantage of the delicious opportunities created.

The 0-2 loss does not accurately reflect the performance of Tran Van Vu and his teammates.

Without defender Dinh Nhon due to suspension after a collision with Omar of FLC Thanh Hoa, coach Vo Dinh Tan still has many notable faces such as Lam Ti Phong, Hoang Nhat Nam, Quoc Chi, especially the two dangerous foreign players Diao and Zarour. The style of play that Mr. Vo Dinh Tan built at Sanna Khanh Hoa is extremely annoying, highly organized. There is no difference between the lines, when the two foreign players are arranged in the style of 1 attacker - 1 defender. With the foreign player carrying both ends, the domestic players of Sanna Khanh Hoa also have less trouble in the disputes with the opponent.

Coach Vo Dinh Tan's students are the "nemesis" of the Nghe team. Illustrative photo.

Although playing as the away team, Vinh Stadium is the "good land" of Sanna Khanh Hoa. According to statistics, in the 3 recent away matches against SLNA, Coach Vo Dinh Tan's students won 2 matches (V. League 2015 and 2016), only lost 1 match in the National Cup arena. In the return match of V. League 2016, Uche (now playing for FLC Thanh Hoa) scored both goals to help Sanna Khanh Hoa come from behind to win 2-1 against the home team SLNA.

Since participating in V. League 2015, Sanna Khanh Hoa has never lost to the Nghe An team in the most prestigious tournament of Vietnamese football. The coastal city team is the real "nemesis" of SLNA.

From the past statistics and the current playing style of the team led by coach Vo Dinh Tan, not many people believe that coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team can win their first victory. However, in football, statistics are sometimes just for reference only. As long as the team is better prepared, knows how to limit mistakes and take advantage of opportunities better, that team will win.

SLNA is not better than Sanna Khanh Hoa in many factors, that does not mean the home team will have less chance of winning this match.

Tram Uyen