Song Lam Nghe An and the risky battle to avoid relegation.
Song Lam Nghe An's relegation battle has become more precarious than ever, with a challenging schedule and the threat of falling into the play-off group looming over coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team.
Round 21 of the V-League has concluded.Lam River, Nghe AnThey managed a lucky draw against Hai Phong. However, that one point wasn't enough to help coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team escape the relegation battle. In fact, the Nghe An team is facing immense pressure as the second-to-last team, Binh Dinh, is hot on their heels.
In the last round, Binh Dinh won 2-1 against Hoang Anh Gia Lai, thereby narrowing the gap with Song Lam Nghe An to just 1 point. More importantly, the team from Binh Dinh still has one game in hand. If they take advantage of this opportunity, they could completely overtake Song Lam Nghe An and push the Vinh-based team down to second-to-last place.
Fortunately for Song Lam Nghe An, in this round, Quang Nam - the team ranked just above them - also failed to win, thus remaining stuck in 11th place with 21 points. Therefore, after round 21, Quang Nam is 11th with 21 points, Song Lam Nghe An is 12th with 20 points, Binh Dinh is second to last with 19 points, while Da Nang is at the bottom of the table with 14 points.
Looking at the situation at the bottom of the table, it's clear that this year's relegation battle is extremely tense. For Song Lam Nghe An, every match from round 22 onwards is like a real final. A small mistake or a dropped point could lead the team from Nghe An to face the prospect of playing in the play-offs or even relegation.
To keep their hopes of staying in the V-League next season alive, Song Lam Nghe An needs to win at least two of their remaining five matches. However, this is no easy challenge, as their opponents in the remaining matches are all formidable teams.
In the upcoming match, Song Lam Nghe An will host Hanoi FC at home. Hanoi FC is currently ranked second in the league and is determined to secure all three points after their defeat against Nam Dinh to continue their pursuit of the championship. With a strong squad and high aspirations, the capital city's representative will not make it easy for Song Lam Nghe An to pull off an upset.
Next, the home team in Vinh will face Nam Dinh, the team currently leading the table and displaying impressive form. It's no exaggeration to say that Nam Dinh is a true "giant" of this season's V-League. With their all-around strength, they are becoming an opponent that any team must fear. In that context, Song Lam Nghe An's hopes of getting any points are very slim.
In their final home game of the season, Song Lam Nghe An will face Hoang Anh Gia Lai. While this is their last chance to earn points in Vinh, the close relationship between the team from the mountainous region and Binh Dinh cannot be ignored. Many fear that Hoang Anh Gia Lai will play with determination to help their "brother" team avoid relegation, making Song Lam Nghe An's path to securing three points more difficult than ever.
In their remaining two away matches, Song Lam Nghe An will face Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Da Nang respectively. In the Nghe An derby against Ha Tinh, coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team will certainly not find it easy to get points because the home team is also eager to move up to the medal contention group.
The match considered the "easiest" for Song Lam Nghe An will be in the final round, against Da Nang. If the team from the Han River is already certain to be relegated, they are highly likely to play cautiously. This will create opportunities for Song Lam Nghe An to seek a victory. However, if Da Nang still has a chance to compete for a play-off spot, this match could become a fierce, life-or-death battle.
What worries Song Lam Nghe An the most right now is not just the fixture schedule, but also their isolation in this life-or-death battle. Under the Tan Long Group, Song Lam Nghe An no longer has strong financial resources, nor can they maintain the "alliance" relationships they once had. Meanwhile, in the V-League, it's not uncommon for teams to support each other in the final stages of the season.
The "friendly relations" between some clubs, calculations about points, or the resignation of teams that have no more goals are always underlying factors that make the league unpredictable. In that picture, Song Lam Nghe An - a team currently "isolated amidst a sea of opponents" - could very well be the one to suffer the most.
Song Lam Nghe An's relegation battle is therefore hanging by a thread. The opportunity still exists, but the road ahead will be arduous, harsh, and full of risks. Now, the team from Nghe An can only fight with all their might, just as they overcame the challenges in the 2023/24 season. And they will need a little more luck if they want to continue their story in the V-League, where Song Lam Nghe An has never been relegated.
