SLNA: The joy is not yet complete.
(Baonghean.vn) - Xuan Toan earned the home team in Vinh three points against XSKT.Can Tho, securing their third consecutive home victory. However, the win was not without its drawbacks, as Ngoc Hai had to limp off the field, and Khac Ngoc will miss the next match due to a rather unfortunate yellow card.
Since their victory against Saigon FC at Thong Nhat Stadium in Round 9, the Can Tho team has not tasted victory again. They drew 2 matches and lost 3 before visiting Vinh to face SLNA in Round 15, including two consecutive defeats against S. Khanh Hoa and FLC Thanh Hoa. The Can Tho team is sinking to the bottom of the table and will have to face the home team, who are gradually regaining their form.
Third consecutive win
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| Xuan Toan helped SLNA secure their third consecutive victory at Vinh Stadium. (Photo: Duc Anh) |
Coach Dinh Hong Vinh has two quality foreign players at his disposal, Patiyo Tambwe and Wander Luiz, both of whom have scored 6 goals, but finding a reliable source of goals is a major problem for the team.
While Quang Tình is struggling with fitness issues, Đức Lộc is unable to replace Hữu Dũng. The strength of the Tây Đô team is no longer what it was in the early stages, especially after midfielder Hữu Dũng returned to Thanh Hóa. Even Hoàng Vissai – a player with many years of experience in the V-League – has repeatedly made mistakes in defense and has had to sit on the bench.
After about 20 minutes of unsuccessful attacking pressure, the rather hot weather forced coach Dinh Hong Vinh to adopt a defensive approach in an attempt to secure a draw. The attack was almost entirely entrusted to the two foreign players, which allowed Khac Ngoc and his teammates to control the ball and attack.
SLNA suffered a setback with Van Duc still recovering from injury and Van Binh unable to play due to accumulating three yellow cards. As usual, they fielded only one foreign player, Olaha. However, this did not dampen SLNA's spirits or diminish their determination in this round where the bottom six teams faced each other, with the winner having a chance to escape relegation.
During a period when the lower-ranked teams were quite cautious because a defeat would cause them to fall behind, SLNA's stars proved their worth. Khac Ngoc consistently delivered excellent crosses from the flanks, while Xuan Manh's crosses became increasingly dangerous. Xuan Toan scoring was only a matter of time, as the home team in Vinh controlled the game and effectively neutralized the opposing team's foreign players.
Long-term planning
The only downside was that captain Ngoc Hai had to limp off the field and Khac Ngoc received his third yellow card of the season. Coach Duc Thang still has Manh Hung and The Nhat – central defenders with some experience in the V-League who can replace this veteran captain.
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| Ngoc Hai's injury is causing concern among SLNA fans. Photo: To Minh |
Fans at Vinh Stadium will not have the opportunity to see midfielders Khac Ngoc and Van Binh play against Saigon in the upcoming match. This is an important match for SLNA, as these are opponents at the bottom of the league table, with inconsistent form, and the Nghe An team has a good chance of securing three points to move up the standings.
However, many believe that Khắc Ngọc is "resting" for the important match at Lạch Tray Stadium against Hải Phòng. Because against Sài Gòn, the midfield duo of Sỹ Sâm and Văn Bình will have no difficulty controlling the game, especially since midfielder Văn Đức is very likely to be brought on.
