How 'combat-worthy' is Song Lam Nghe An in the National Cup arena?

Trung Kien• May 22, 2020 19:56

(Baonghean.vn) - Because of not having strong financial resources, SLNA often runs out of steam in the V.League, but in knockout tournaments like the National Cup, the Nghe An team holds the record for the number of championships as well as the number of times they have reached the semi-finals.

Since 1992, the National Cup has witnessed Song Lam Nghe An’s record of winning the championship 3 times. This achievement has been equaled by B. Binh Duong but this is still a playground where Nghe An’s team often has very good results.

Specifically, SLNA won 3 championships of this tournament in 2002, 2010 and 2017. In the first championship, SLNA owned a talented "7X" generation with mature players such as Quang Truong, Sy Hung, Sy Thuy, Huy Hoang... under the leadership of coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh, defeated Hue in the final match.

In 2010, when coach Nguyen Huu Thang returned to lead SLNA, with players like Huy Hoang, Van Quyen, Trong Hoang, Van Binh, Dinh Dong, the Nghe team continued to overcome Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the "water battle" at Thong Nhat Stadium to lift the Championship Cup for the second time.

SLNA won the National Cup in 2017. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The last time SLNA had this glory was in 2017 under coach Nguyen Duc Thang. Mature talents such as Nguyen Manh, Ngoc Hai, Phi Son, Khac Ngoc, Olaha, Van Duc, Xuan Manh won like young children and won this tournament very convincingly. Even in the 2 final matches, SLNA scored 7 goals against B. Binh Duong.

In Vietnam, there is also a team that has won the National Cup 3 times, B. Binh Duong - a team with a lot of financial investment. B. Binh Duong is also the team that has reached the finals the most times with 6 times, 3 times winning the runner-up position. The Nghe An team has only finished second once in this competition in 2011 after losing to Navibank Saigon.

Not only stopping at 3 championships, 1 runner-up position, SLNA is the team that owns the record for the number of bronze medals with 7 times in 1996, 1998, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2018. Among the times the Nghe team stopped at the semi-finals, many times came from unlucky penalty shootouts.

Phòng truyền thống SLNA ghi nhận 3 chức vô địch Cúp QG. Đồ họa: TK

SLNA's tradition room records 3 National Cup championships. Graphics: TK

This year, SLNA has said goodbye to a series of pillars, who have now become bright stars in the national team, but V.League 2020 also witnessed 8 young players who have just been promoted by coach Ngo Quang Truong to try their hand. When facing lower-ranked teams and not using foreign players, this is a golden opportunity for faces born in 1999 such as Dang Van Lam, Tran Dinh Tien, Tran Ngoc Anh, Thai Ba Sang to test their skills.

According to the schedule, SLNA will meet Binh Dinh in the Qualifying Round on May 24. If they win against this opponent, coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team will continue to compete at Vinh Stadium in the next round of 16, taking place on May 30. SLNA's opponent is the winner of the match between Binh Phuoc and Dak Lak - 2 representatives from the First Division.

Không ngoại binh và Phan Văn Đức, SLNA chơi với đội hình nào tại Cúp QG?

Without foreign players and Phan Van Duc, what lineup will SLNA play with at the National Cup?

(Baonghean.vn) - According to the regulations of the 2020 National Cup, V.League teams will not use foreign players in the qualifying round when facing lower-ranked teams. This forces SLNA's coaching staff and other teams to make adjustments.