Song Lam Nghe An: A match that exceeded expectations.

The North Central Vietnam derby between Dong A Thanh Hoa and Song Lam Nghe An clearly demonstrated this through 90 minutes of tight play, attacking football, and a goalless draw (0-0), which failed to satisfy both teams and the numerous fans.

Dong A Thanh Hoa - SLNA launched attacks using long balls. Photo courtesy of Xuan Thuy.

After a disappointing first round at home, and especially after their opponent's away win in the opening match, Huy Hoang and the Song Lam Nghe An coaching staff adjusted their tactical formation from the familiar 4-4-2 to a 5-3-2 with a focus on tight defense and quick counter-attacks. This included Thai Ba Sang playing as a right-sided center-back, Ngoc Hai on the left, and Vytas in the center, two winbacks Dinh Hoang on the right and Sy Hoang on the left, three midfielders Trong Hoang, Xuan Manh, and Nam Hai, and two forwards, Olaha and Kandolo.

There are a few interesting details worth mentioning: Van Cuong and Manh Quynh didn't play particularly well in the first match, so they were replaced by Ba Sang and Sy Hoang when the new formation was implemented, and this new duo played quite well. This lineup then faced two familiar faces from the opposing team in defense: center-back Gustavo, who previously played for the Vinh-based team, and left-back Sy Nam, who was trained and developed, playing for the Song Lam Nghe An first team for several seasons. Facing his hometown team again, Sy Nam seemed to be affected psychologically and didn't perform as well as in the opening match, a victory away at Khanh Hoa.

The mobility and coordination between the lines of the visiting team prevented the home team from executing coherent attacks, often leading to inaccurate passes due to being surrounded and pressured from afar. Meanwhile, with a bit of luck, Ngoc Hai and Xuan Manh could have combined to score a goal in the middle of the first half if the home team's goalkeeper Thanh Diep hadn't stretched to the limit to push the ball away for a corner. And thanks to the well-organized and effective formation, Ngoc Hai intervened in time, preventing striker Bruno of the home team from comfortably heading the ball into Van Tien's goal from a well-placed and accurate cross from the left wing.

The back-and-forth nature of the game, with both sides exchanging blows, led to numerous fouls and collisions, making it inevitable that the referee would issue many yellow cards. Trong Hung of the home team struggled to contain the experienced Trong Hoang in every move. Both Gustavo, the home team's center-back, and Vytas, the visiting team's center-back, received cards, stemming from the intensity of both sides and their willingness to accept penalties to avoid dangerous counter-attacks.

The match itself showed that Song Lam Nghe An had learned their lesson after the opening game. Their foreign players gradually improved, such as Vytas, and especially Kandolo, who came very close to scoring after a header narrowly missed the post in the first half. Ngoc Hai played intelligently, successfully neutralizing Bruno, which is highly commendable, not to mention the fact that the central defender was constantly moving around, finding the ball, and making long passes to put pressure on the opponent.

Perhaps Ngoc Hai should be encouraged to play a more powerful defensive-attacking style, delivering high-impact passes like he did with the Vietnamese national team. He should consider emulating the playing style of Thai player Theerathon to demonstrate his true class on the domestic and international stage. Song Lam Nghe An can also be confident with the strong return and experience of Trong Hoang, and the youthful energy of Nam Hai and Xuan Tien… But if Trong Hoang continues to play for 90 minutes in every match as he has recently, is this a wise strategy? This is something that needs to be considered and addressed promptly.

All the predictions and anxieties before the second-round match for Huy Hoang's team turned out to be a hopeful and relieving game. A performance that exceeded expectations and a draw that was considered a victory in itself instilled confidence for the upcoming matches.