Song Lam Nghe An has the opportunity to win the first title under Tan Long's reign.

Chance to win first title

When Tan Long took overLam River Nghe An, Nghe An fans have placed their hopes on the team returning to its golden age, bringing pride to the people here.

That expectation was quickly realized by keeping the pillars and recruiting a series of "blockbusters" with Nghe blood from all the football teams in the country.

Famous names such as Que Ngoc Hai, Trong Hoang, Van Duc and Xuan Manh are present in the lineup of Song Lam Nghe An, bringing extreme excitement to fans.

Right in the first season under the sponsorship of Tan Long Group, Song Lam Nghe An marked a positive step forward with 5th place on the V.League 2022 rankings.

However, "the joy was short-lived", Song Lam Nghe An began to face a crisis when its pillars left one by one to find more potential destinations.

Financial shortages have made it impossible for the Nghe An team to retain key players or recruit new stars. As a result, Song Lam Nghe An has had to rely on young "homegrown" players to compete in the V-League.

This has caused the team's performance to plummet, constantly struggling in the relegation battle. The dream of returning to the golden age is increasingly distant, and before the 2024/25 National Cup kicked off, few people believed that Song Lam Nghe An after 4 years under "Tan Long's" tenure could win any significant title.

However, football always contains surprises. The Nghe An team is now facing a great opportunity to win a medal at the National Cup. Fans humorously compared that Song Lam Nghe An "stumbled upon a medal" when a team struggling in the relegation race is getting closer to a glorious title.

Song Lam Nghe An's journey in the 2024/25 National Cup is somewhat favorable when the lucky draw puts them up against opponents that are not too strong. In the round of 16, the Nghe team only has to face SHB Da Nang - the team at the bottom of the 2024/25 V-League table. Despite facing many difficulties, the narrow victory against this opponent has helped coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team enter the quarterfinals.

The opportunity is even more open when the next opponent is Dong Thap, a team that is struggling in the bottom half of the 2024/25 Vietnam National First Division rankings.

In all aspects, from force, experience to form, Song Lam Nghe An holds an overwhelming advantage. If there are no surprises, the Nghe team can completely overcome Dong Thap to advance to the semi-finals.

If they win a medal at the 2024/25 National Cup, this will be the most memorable milestone for Song Lam Nghe An under Tan Long's "time". Although they still face many difficulties in the V-League arena, winning the title at the National Cup will somehow help Tan Long leave a mark in his 4 years with this team.

Warm-up before the Quarter-Finals

Before the National Cup quarter-final match against Dong Thap on March 30, Song Lam Nghe An traveled to Thien Truong Stadium to conduct a warm-up match with the reigning V.League champion, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. This was not only an important test but also an opportunity for coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team to review their squad and tactics before the decisive match.

In terms of personnel, in the first 45 minutes of the friendly match, the Nghe An team proactively deployed a lineup of all domestic players to carefully prepare for the confrontation with Dong Thap. Coach Phan Nhu Thuat arranged a 4-4-2 formation with the central defender duo Van Khanh and Van Thanh. The two wings were guarded by Dinh Hoang (left) and Van Huy (right).

In the midfield, Ba Quyen and Khac Ngoc took on the role of central midfielders, while Long Vu and Manh Quynh played on the wings. In the attack, the striker duo Ngo Van Luong and Phan Xuan Dai led the scoring duties.

This is considered the strongest domestic squad that Song Lam Nghe An can field at the moment, as important players such as Ho Van Cuong, Quang Vinh and Xuan Tien are busy training with the Vietnam U22 team. With that arrangement, it is likely that this will also be the framework for the upcoming quarter-final match.

In terms of playing style, despite facing the Blue Steel Nam Dinh - a team with two quality foreign players, Lucas and Mpande, and overseas Vietnamese player K. Pham Ba - Song Lam Nghe An still showed confidence and a balanced game. Khac Ngoc continued to show his class as a "conductor" when launching sharp passes, opening up many opportunities for his teammates.

One of the most notable situations in the first half was the inspired combination between Khac Ngoc and Long Vu. Receiving a delicate pass from his senior, Long Vu skillfully passed two opposing defenders before unleashing a dangerous curling shot. However, Nam Dinh's goalkeeper flew to block the shot, denying a beautiful goal.

On the defensive front, with the support of Ba Quyen in the role of midfield sweeper, the central defender duo Van Khanh - Van Thanh neutralized many attacks of the home team.

However, there are still areas that need improvement, especially the coordination in covering. This was clearly shown in the situation where a Nam Dinh player made a smart pass, exploiting a gap in the Song Lam Nghe An defense, creating a chance to face goalkeeper Huu Hau. Fortunately, the young goalkeeper rushed out in time, closed the angle accurately and prevented a clear loss.

At the end of this match, SLNA tied with Nam Dinh Blue Steel with a score of 1-1.

The match against Nam Dinh Blue Steel not only helped Song Lam Nghe An test their squad but also helped the players maintain their ball sense and form before the important quarter-final match. Although there are still some points that need to be adjusted, this performance brings many optimistic signals for Coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team on their journey to conquer the National Cup.

Under Tan Long, Song Lam Nghe An has gone through many challenges. But now, they are facing the opportunity to win the title after 4 years of waiting. And if they can prove their mettle against Dong Thap, Song Lam Nghe An will have their first medal since Tan Long took over.