Song Lam Nghe An needs to be stricter with young player Le Tan Dung

In the opening match of the 2025 National U21 Championship Finals,U21 Song Lam Nghe Anwon 2-1 against the home team U21 Ho Chi Minh City Football Club. However, besides the positive results in terms of expertise, the Nghe An team left an unsightly image when young defender Le Tan Dung acted unsportsmanlike, causing public outrage and concern.

Right after the match ended, a player from the opposing team approached Tan Dung with provocative words. Tan Dung immediately reacted by using his elbow to hit the opponent. This situation did not escape the eyes of the referee team and the player born in 2008 immediately received a second yellow card, which means a red card.

Notably, Tan Dung was only brought onto the field in the middle of the second half to replace Tan Minh. Shortly after entering the field, this player received his first yellow card after an overly aggressive tackle. Two cards in less than 30 minutes are clear evidence of his lack of emotional control, impatience, and lack of awareness of maintaining his own and the team's image on the field.

Football is a competitive sport, collisions are inevitable. However, when a young player retaliates with violence right after the final whistle, it is absolutely not appropriate. And this is not the first time Le Tan Dung has acted like this.

In 2023, in the quarter-final match of the National U15 Championship between U15 Song Lam Nghe An and U15 Hong Linh Ha Tinh, when the home team was behind, this player had an offensive action when he pulled an injured opponent player out of the field, leading to a fight between the two teams. Dung was then given a yellow card by the referee.

In 2024, in the quarter-final match of the National U17 Championship against Hanoi U17, when SLNA was leading 1-0, Tan Dung continued to commit unsportsmanlike conduct by elbowing an opposing player in the face. Once again, he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. That red card directly affected the game and caused SLNA to stop at the quarter-finals.

Three consecutive years, three repetitions of unsportsmanlike behavior show that this is no longer a manifestation of youthful impetuosity, but has become a bad habit for the personality development process of a young player.

Without timely education and handling measures, the consequences will not stop at red cards...