Song Lam Nghe An and the joys and sorrows at Hang Day Stadium

Hang Day Stadium has long been a favorite destination for generations of Song Lam Nghe An players, even when the powerful home team Hanoi FC is a real force in the V-League with consecutive championships in the past. However, Hang Day Stadium has also left many regrets for the visitors from Vinh City for countless reasons, including the referee, when they faced Hanoi FC and recently the emerging team Cong An Ha Noi in round 9, V-League 1.

Just a few minutes after the ball started rolling, the referee blew the whistle for a penalty in an unclear collision between the away team’s center back Vytas and the home team’s striker. This situation would normally be overlooked, or even penalized for diving, but it seemed that the main referee was very “decisive” in “knocked out” the away team right from the start. Luckily for the away team, “hero” Van Hau quickly fought his teammates to find the first goal in the V-League to capitalize but was humiliatedly denied by the post.

Veteran Trong Hoang scored the opening goal of the match. Photo: Hai Hoang

But then at the end of the first half, it was the linesman's turn to "show off" his talent when he raised his flag for offside against Soladio in a counter-attack situation. Surely, with this shameful "achievement", the flag bearer would have the opportunity to... rest due to an internal ban, to think about his outrageous behavior in broad daylight in front of the public.

It was a rare match in terms of will and rhythm from the organization of defense to the coherent attack of Song Lam Nghe An against an opponent who had won 3 consecutive matches and was strongly advancing in the V-League rankings. The highlight was the arrangement on the wing for the right-sided center-back Ngoc Hai to climb the sideline, advance like a winger, pass the ball accurately in the rising rhythm to take over the position of his senior Trong Hoang with a situation of heading the ball flying to the far corner as if in an exercise. It was a quick finishing blow from the two leading pillars of Vietnamese football and Song Lam Nghe An against a tough opponent, especially after a period of "missing" Van Duc so much!

If he had witnessed this beautiful arrangement and ending, Mr. Philippe Troussier would have had to consider whether to call Trong Hoang back to the Vietnam National Team or not, even though this player is old and has just undergone a long injury treatment. Of course, Ngoc Hai is the top choice for the ball control and attacking philosophy that the French coach is operating, when the ball is deployed from the bottom up in a new and creative rhythm. In U22 Vietnam, Mr. Troussier trusted Tuan Tai on the left wing when taking on this task. As for the Vietnam National Team, Ngoc Hai will certainly be responsible for launching high-damage passes, even excellent assists as he has done many times for the Vietnam National Team and Song Lam Nghe An.

Another bright spot for the away team was the solidity and flexibility of young goalkeeper Van Viet when facing the maximum challenges from the home team's relentless attacks. Discovering a new, young link from the right-back position of Van Huy, Hanoi Police focused on attacking and exploiting this wing with the rise of Van Hau and Van Do, actively passing deep to take advantage of the mobility and strength of the foreign strikers. Van Viet neutralized all the clear opportunities created by the home team, from controlling the space, clearing the ball to clearing the ball before the goal line to help the away team have a commendable match, even the most commendable match since the beginning of the season.

But as mentioned above, Hang Day Stadium has always brought Song Lam Nghe An extremely noteworthy and regrettable moments. Last season, Song Lam Nghe An took the lead against Hanoi FC with Olaha's goal, but then this foreign player received a red card from a dispute that he clearly did not intend and the man in black "imagined" the mistake and then turned the game around for the away team. This time, the referee's terrible offside situation at the end of the first half caused all the efforts of the away team to be doused with cold water, and then at the beginning of the second half, in a position similar to Ngoc Hai in the first half, Tan Tai crossed the ball accurately into the penalty area, Ngoc Hai was not decisive so Van Do used his "scissor" foot to score a beautiful goal to equalize for the home team. Of course, with that favorable momentum, the home team accelerated, made reasonable substitutions to increase the strength, causing Van Viet's goal to shake for the second time with a comeback that everyone could predict.

When feeling uncomfortable with the developments on the field, when being inhibited for unspeakable reasons, Song Lam Nghe An, despite trying hard, is powerless, which has happened more than once and has become a "sad trademark" of the Vinh team. But having said that, it must be said again. Song Lam Nghe An's defense system is clearly playing badly despite having foreign players with good physiques. Ngoc Hai and the defense system have lost both in the air and when the opponent coordinated in front of the penalty area as if it were... empty.

The two goals conceded in the 2-2 draw against Hong Linh Ha Tinh, the two goals conceded against Cong An Ha Noi were both serious mistakes of the defense and cannot be blamed on... the referee? The team's lack of a strong and mobile midfielder may be the remote cause of the weakness of the defense. The uneven quality of the positions is also a cause that cannot be easily overcome overnight. And again, if the young talent Xuan Tien was expected to mature more, be more effective in the many opportunities given, Song Lam Nghe An would have had satisfactory results without struggling, struggling to gradually fall to 11th place in the rankings as it is now.

Obviously, Song Lam Nghe An played well and with great determination in their performance at Hang Day Stadium in the recent match. But that was not enough when they could not overcome the unexpected "attacks" from their opponents with the intention of the referees, as a practice that has not been eliminated when playing away, especially against powerful teams. The difficulties after changing the reward system for the matches are being added and multiplied before the ball has even rolled. It is true that fans are not interested and enthusiastic as before, but the sponsor/team has not said a word to encourage them to return to the field to increase their morale in the difficult and declining times.

Somewhere there is a “conspiracy theory” that, if it really needs to be proven, Song Lam Nghe An is strong enough to “not be afraid of any opponent” as Huy Hoang once brazenly said and “said with evidence” immediately in the first half of the match against Hanoi Police, with the “model” performance of Ngoc Hai - Xuan Manh - Trong Hoang and the lightning-fast goal to open the score. Otherwise, everything will be the same, will go on, go on before the “indifference” of even those who have lived and died for the team? Hopefully, that is just an unnecessary speculation, when the team is trying their best but is helpless in countless difficulties?