Lam River, Nghe An: Storms lie ahead!

According to the V.League 2018 schedule, SLNA's next three opponents will be the reigning champions Quang Nam FC, HAGL, and Hanoi FC. In Round 8, taking place on May 20th, Ngoc Hai and his teammates will compete against the home team Quang Nam FC at Tam Ky Stadium. This opponent is considered superior to Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team in every aspect.

Besides the home advantage, Coach Hoang Van Phuc's squad is also among the top teams in the V.League in recent seasons. In the 2018 National Super Cup match held on February 24th at Hang Day Stadium (Hanoi), the Quang Nam team defeated the Nghe An team with a minimal score of 1-0 to win the championship. In the upcoming match between the two teams in the 2018 V.League, the chances of Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team earning points are quite slim.

In the 2018 National Super Cup, Quang Nam FC defeated SLNA. Photo: Anh Tuan.

After their away match at Tam Ky Stadium, Ngoc Hai and his teammates will travel to Pleiku City for a crucial match against HAGL. In terms of squad strength and head-to-head record, SLNA is in no way inferior to the home team. Players like Ngoc Hai, Van Khanh, Xuan Manh, Van Duc, Olaha... are on par with Xuan Truong, Cong Phuong, Van Thanh, Van Toan… on the other side, in terms of professional skill and match experience.

In the last four matches between the two teams, SLNA has held a clear advantage with 3 wins and 1 draw. Furthermore, Pleiku Stadium is not a major obstacle for Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team. In their two most recent away matches against HAGL, the Nghe An team secured one win (0-2 in the second leg of the 2017 V.League) and one draw (0-0 in the first leg of the 2016 V.League). The likelihood of Ngoc Hai and his teammates leaving Pleiku Stadium with at least one point is quite high.

SLNA's next opponent in the 10th round is Hanoi FC (May 30th). Despite playing at their home ground in Vinh, SLNA's chances of winning are slim. From squad strength to form, Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team is inferior to the team owned by Chairman Hien. In recent seasons, few teams in the V.League have had a squad of comparable quality to Hanoi FC.

SLNA (in yellow) lost to Hanoi FC 1-2 at Vinh Stadium in the second leg of the 2017 V.League season. (Photo: Archival image)

Besides a quality squad of domestic players such as Van Quyet, Thanh Luong, Quang Hai, Duy Manh, Dinh Trong, etc., coach Chu Dinh Nghiem also has the services of some well-known foreign players like Oseni and Moses.

The current leading position in the V.League 2018 held by the team from Hang Day Stadium is clear evidence of the strength and incredible form of Thanh Luong and his teammates. It's worth remembering that in their last two away matches in Vinh, Hanoi FC came away with all three points.

It seems that after the upcoming rounds (rounds 8, 9, and 10), Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team will not easily escape the relegation zone. To say that a storm lies ahead for the Nghe An team is not an exaggeration.

If key players don't recover quickly from injuries and their performance doesn't improve, SLNA will face immense difficulties in the relegation battle.