Will SLNA get points in their first match?

(Baonghean.vn) - In the opening match of the V.League 2014 on Saturday afternoon (January 11th), the Nghe An team will face newcomer Than Quang Ninh at Cam Pha Stadium. In terms of achievements and squad strength, SLNA completely dominates the home team from the mining region. Unless an unexpected event occurs, Coach Huu Thang's team will secure points on their opening day.

Among Vietnamese football clubs today, SLNA is one of the most traditional and successful. Since the establishment of the V.League, SLNA is also the only team to have played in all fifteen seasons and won the championship twice. SLNA's opponent in the opening match of the 2014 season is the "newcomer" Than Quang Ninh, a team that has just been promoted and is making its first appearance in the V.League, not yet "mature" enough to compete with SLNA in terms of achievements and brand.

Nghe An fans will "paint" Cam Pha stadium yellow.

Perhaps, SLNA and Than Quang Ninh are similar in that both teams are "poor financially." If they had ample funds and a wealthy benefactor, the mining team would have been playing in the V.League several seasons ago, not waiting until the 2014 season. As for SLNA, due to insufficient funds, key players, both foreign and domestic, such as Hector, Kavin, Trong Hoang, Van Hoan, and Van Binh, all left at the end of the 2013 season. Just before the start of the 2014 V.League season, the Nghe An team only managed to recruit two foreign players from Cameroon: Biyaga Paul Emile and striker Edouard Ndjodo, while the domestic squad was mainly comprised of young players promoted from the youth ranks.

Will captain Cong Vinh score on the opening day of the 2014 V.League season?

Regarding Than Quang Ninh's squad, in addition to newly signed players from other teams such as Danh Ngoc, Tien Thanh, Bat Hieu, Trong Nghia, and foreign players including Nigerian strikers Uche and Peter, and Brazilian midfielder Bruno, the team also boldly uses young players they have trained themselves, such as Hai Huy, Tien Duy, Tuan Linh, Minh Tuan...

Playing at their home ground in Cam Pha, Coach Dinh Cao Nghia's team is generally not a worthy opponent for SLNA. Despite the difficulties, the Nghe An team still has the current V.League top scorer, Le Cong Vinh, along with a squad of young players who recently returned from the SEA Games 27. Furthermore, to boost the morale of Coach Huu Thang's team, the SLNA Supporters' Club in Hanoi has planned to flock to Cam Pha Stadium to paint it yellow, hoping that their beloved striker Le Cong Vinh, after rejecting a lucrative offer from Sapporo, will make an impressive debut as SLNA's captain.

Unless something unexpected happens, joy will come to the young SLNA players.

Coach Dinh Cao Nghia and his team will undoubtedly fight hard to make their V.League debut, but it will be very difficult for the home team from the mining region as they face the "big team" SLNA on their opening day. Unless something unexpected happens, the Nghe An team will likely earn a point in their V.League 2014 opening match.

Text and photos:Duc Dung