The Lam River in Nghe An and the Hong Linh River problem in Ha Tinh.

Overwhelmed with worries.

It must be stated that this is the time whenLam River, Nghe AnThey are facing many difficulties. A series of key players are unable to play due to injuries, which has greatly affected Song Lam Nghe An's ability to execute their game plan.

The defense suffered a major setback in the match against Hoang Anh Gia Lai in round 2.V-LeagueCoach Pham Anh Tuan was forced to move full-back Vuong Van Huy to play as a left-sided center-back. Playing in a position that wasn't his forte, the 2001-born player made several mistakes, most notably in the opening goal for the home team at Pleiku Stadium.

In the case of Nguyen Xuan Binh, he is a player who originally played as a central midfielder, but due to a shortage of players, the Song Lam Nghe An coaching staff had to move him to play as a left-sided center-back. And the second goal conceded by the Nghe An team was partly due to Xuan Binh's fault. After an inaccurate pass, the player wearing number 22 was helpless against the opponent's counter-attack, leading to Van Viet's net being shaken for the second time.

In terms of gameplay, Song Lam Nghe An is showing many worrying signs. Looking at the match at Pleiku Stadium, both flanks of Song Lam Nghe An's defense left too many gaps, which were thoroughly exploited by the opponent. Specifically, the opponent frequently launched through passes between the central defenders and wingers. This made it difficult for Song Lam Nghe An's defense to cope with the diverse crosses from the opposing team.

Furthermore, on the attacking front, perhaps due to a shortage of players, Song Lam Nghe An's ability to transition between attacking and defensive phases in the first two matches of the season has been quite slow and lacking in surprise. In addition, the team playing at Vinh Stadium has only been able to deliver rather monotonous crosses from the flanks into the box, making it very difficult for Kuku to make an impact.

With their squad still in disarray, Song Lam Nghe An must face the team currently second in the V-League. Hong Linh Ha Tinh is in excellent form with two consecutive wins. This will be a significant headache for them.Coach Pham Anh Tuan.

Predicting the outcome of the Nghe An Derby

After two matches, football fans were quite surprised to see that the top two positions in the standings were held by Hoang Anh Gia Lai and...Hong Linh, Ha TinhThese two teams share the same predicament as Song Lam Nghe An last season. All three fought until the final round of the V-League 2023/24 season to avoid relegation.

This season, Hong Linh Ha Tinh has undergone significant changes to its squad. Notably, they have added quality foreign players such as striker Geovane Magno, defender Helerson, and forward Noel Mbo, along with French-Vietnamese player Adou Leygley Minh... These new signings are expected to improve the effectiveness of Hong Linh Ha Tinh's playing style.

Thanks to the inclusion of the aforementioned players, Hong Linh Ha Tinh has undergone a transformation in the first two rounds of the season. With a pragmatic and sensible playing style, maximizing the strengths of their foreign players, the team from Hong Mountain achieved the unthinkable by winning against the reigning V-League 2023/24 champions - Nam Dinh and the host team SHB Da Nang.

It's safe to say that facing Hong Linh Ha Tinh at this time is a significant challenge for Song Lam Nghe An. Especially since the Vinh-based team is in a situation of squad crisis and has to play without a foreign player because center-back Zaracho is serving a suspension.

However, considering their head-to-head history, the chances are evenly split between the two sides. In their last seven matches, Song Lam Nghe An has won one, lost one, and drawn the rest. Furthermore, to prepare for the new season, both teams regularly hold friendly matches. Therefore, Song Lam Nghe An and Hong Linh Ha Tinh are very familiar with each other in terms of tactics and personnel.

Therefore, experts predict that in the Nghe An Derby in Round 3 of the V-League 2024/25, taking place at Vinh Stadium, despite Song Lam Nghe An facing many disadvantages, a draw is still possible, as in the last four encounters between the two teams.