Song Lam Nghe An shares valuable points at Lach Tray Stadium

On the evening of May 3, at Lach Tray Stadium, Song Lam Nghe An visited Hai Phong Club in round 21 of V.League 2024/25.

The match took place in the context that both teams needed points to improve their position on the rankings, especially Song Lam Nghe An, who are in a fierce relegation race.

Hai Phong FC took the field with their strongest lineup, including goalkeeper Dinh Trieu, defenders Van Toi, Tien Dung, Trung Hieu, Bicou, midfielders Viet Hung, Hoang Nam, Huu Son, Van Tu and strikers Friday and Lucao.

Meanwhile, Song Lam Nghe An was missing two key defenders, Van Huy and Van Thanh, due to suspension, forcing coach Phan Nhu Thuat to make adjustments to the starting lineup, with the participation of goalkeeper Van Viet, defenders Van Khanh, Van Cuong, Xuan Tien, Nam Hai, midfielders Khac Ngoc, Manh Quynh, Dinh Hoang and the attacking trio Olaha, Kuku, Long Vu.

Right after the opening whistle, Hai Phong proactively pushed up their formation, creating many dangerous situations towards the away team's goal. In the first half, the home team had at least 3 clear opportunities, notably Friday's header hitting the post and Trung Hieu's powerful shot after the ball bounced off a corner kick.

However, the excellence of goalkeeper Van Viet and a bit of luck helped Song Lam Nghe An keep a clean sheet in the first 45 minutes.

In the second half, the game did not change much as Hai Phong continued to increase the pressure. In the 54th minute, Huu Son took a long shot but the ball hit the goal post of Song Lam Nghe An. In the 59th minute, Friday had a chance to head the ball close to the goal but the ball went over the bar.

In total, the home team made 19 shots throughout the match, but were not successful in penetrating the opponent's net once.

Although playing mainly in a defensive position, Song Lam Nghe An still showed remarkable efforts in counter-attack situations. One of the most notable opportunities came in the 79th minute, when Dinh Xuan Tien was pushed down by defender Bicou right in front of the penalty area. After consulting VAR, the referee decided to award the away team a direct free kick in front of goalkeeper Dinh Trieu's goal, at the edge of the penalty area.

However, in the following situation, Dinh Xuan Tien hit the wall, missing a golden opportunity to open the score for the Nghe team.

The 0-0 draw helped Song Lam Nghe An gain another valuable point in the relegation race, raising their total points to 20 after 21 rounds. Meanwhile, Hai Phong missed the opportunity to rise to 7th place on the rankings, continuing to stand still with 25 points.