Song Lam Nghe An leaves empty-handed.against the visiting team East Asia Thanh Hoa
The match between Song Lam Nghe An and Dong A Thanh Hoa in Round 8 of the V.League 2025/26, held at Vinh Stadium on the afternoon of October 26th, was quite exciting as both teams were desperate for points to escape the bottom of the table. The visiting team, with their well-organized play, secured a 1-0 victory over Song Lam Nghe An.
After 7 rounds, Dong A Thanh Hoa only has 4 points, ranking second to last, while Song Lam Nghe An is only slightly better with 6 points.
Under coach Van Sy Son, the Nghe An team is showing positive signs in terms of spirit and playing style. The 1-1 draw against Hanoi Police in the previous round demonstrated discipline in defense and the strong fighting spirit of the entire team. In the match against Thanh Hoa, despite the absence of striker Reon Dale Moore due to suspension, coach Van Sy Son still showed confidence by fielding Olaha as the furthest forward in attack, supported by the quartet of Quang Vinh, Enrique, Manh Quynh, and Van Luong.
Meanwhile, visiting team Dong A Thanh Hoa is in crisis with a series of internal instabilities after parting ways with coach Velizar Popov. The instability at the top level has significantly reduced the morale and unity of the Thanh Hoa team.
With the home advantage and the high spirits under their new head coach, Song Lam Nghe An aims to secure all three points to escape the relegation zone and bring joy to their fans in Nghe An after a series of disappointing matches.
And that was evident from the moment the opening whistle blew at Vinh Stadium. Song Lam Nghe An proactively controlled the game and pushed forward to create opportunities right from the start.
However, Dong A Thanh Hoa unexpectedly had their first opportunity in the 9th minute of the match. From a chaotic situation in front of the SLNA goal, following a corner kick from his teammate, Damoth had a chance to shoot from close range, but Van Binh made an excellent save.
After several attempts to launch attacks, in the 20th minute, SLNA had a golden opportunity in front of Dong A Thanh Hoa's goal. Following a cross from the wing by Manh Quynh, the midfielder sent the ball towards the center of the visitors' goal, but a Thanh Hoa defender cleared the ball off the goal line, denying SLNA a goal.
Immediately, the visiting team responded with a shot from a set piece on the right wing. The ball was difficult for Van Binh to control, but luck smiled on SLNA as the shot hit the crossbar of Thanh Hoa.
The two teams traded blows, and Dong A Thanh Hoa opened the scoring in the 32nd minute after a mistake by goalkeeper Cao Van Binh. From a midfield attack by the visiting team, Van Binh misjudged his positioning, while Van Huy's clearance hit Rimario's foot, allowing the striker to easily tap the ball into the empty net.
After conceding a goal, SLNA tried to push forward with the determination to find an equalizer, but the visiting team's defense played alertly and successfully neutralized their attacks. Therefore, the first half ended with Dong A Thanh Hoa leading temporarily.
In the second half, SLNA increased the pressure, and in the 50th minute, it seemed as though the home team had scored an equalizer. However, from a distance of over 10 meters, Van Luong's shot went over the crossbar.
Towards the middle of the second half, SLNA created numerous opportunities towards the visitors' goal. In particular, in the 67th minute, center-back Garcia made a well-timed pass to Olaha. However, from a distance of less than 15 meters, the captain's shot went over the crossbar, missing a chance to equalize.
In the final minutes of the match, SLNA tried to find an equalizer but were unsuccessful, so the match ended with a 1-0 victory for the visiting team, Dong A Thanh Hoa.
