Song Lam Nghe An and the challenge on Lach Tray field

The key match for the relegation race

Round 20 of V-League 2024/25 ends,Lam River Nghe Anis the team suffering many disadvantages. The cruel defeat against The Cong Viettel at Hang Day Stadium made it impossible for coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team to escape the relegation race.

Currently, Song Lam Nghe An is only 3 points ahead of Binh Dinh - the team at the bottom of the rankings, but has played 1 more match. In addition, Da Nang's unexpected victory over Thanh Hoa also increased the pressure as this team is breathing down the necks of Binh Dinh and Song Lam Nghe An.

Not only that, the loss in round 20 also caused Song Lam Nghe An to miss the opportunity to narrow the gap with the teams above such as Quang Nam and Ho Chi Minh City Club.

Therefore, with the loss in the last round, more than anyone else, Song Lam Nghe An is the team that suffers many disadvantages in the race to find a place to stay in the league. And certainly, if they continue to stumble in the next match, the Nghe An team will fall into a dangerous situation.

In round 21, Song Lam Nghe An will travel to Lach Tray Stadium. Perhaps, more than anyone, coach Phan Nhu Thuat understands that if they do not get any points in this match, the risk of holding a ticket to the Play-off is entirely possible. The Nghe team needs to save themselves, instead of relying on luck or failure of the opponent. With experience in the V-League, Song Lam Nghe An clearly understands that the final rounds always contain "incomprehensible surprises" for the teams competing for relegation. Therefore, before it is too late, Song Lam Nghe An needs to decide their own fate.

That is also the reason why the confrontation with Hai Phong in round 21 becomes a key match for Song Lam Nghe An. If they win 3 points at Lach Tray Stadium, coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team will have the right to decide for themselves. But if they fail, they will certainly face countless risks, and sometimes, the mistakes at that time will be difficult to correct.

Difficulties for Song Lam Nghe An

However, to get a positive result against Hai Phong at Lach Tray Stadium is extremely difficult for coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team. Perhaps, the loss to Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the last round was just an "accident" for Hai Phong.

The brilliant performance of Chu Dinh Nghiem's ​​team at home recently is undeniable. In the last 5 home matches in the V-League, Hai Phong won 3 matches, drew with the second-placed team Hanoi and only lost to Nam Dinh - the team leading the rankings. Those numbers show that the "fire pot" Lach Tray is truly a place "easy to go, hard to return" for any team, not just Song Lam Nghe An.

Not stopping there, in this round, Song Lam Nghe An also suffered a great loss in terms of force when a series of key players were injured. Center back Hoang Van Khanh, defender Vuong Van Huy and midfielder Ngo Van Luong could not participate, leaving gaps that were very difficult to fill.

Solving this force problem will be a big challenge for the coaching staff of the Nghe An team. Perhaps, coach Phan Nhu Thuat can only put his trust in creating confidence and optimism for the young players to replace him. Names like Nam Hai, Mai Hoang, Xuan Tien, Manh Quynh... need to really transform to create a surprise against Hai Phong.

In addition, the coaching staff of Song Lam Nghe An also needs to come up with unexpected and unpredictable tactics and strategies to overcome the mature calculations of Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem. If they can make some clever moves, the "song of triumph" for Song Lam Nghe An can completely resound on Lach Tray Stadium.

The relegation battle in V-League 2024/25 is coming to an end with unpredictable scenarios. In that context, Song Lam Nghe An no longer has the right to make more mistakes. Facing a brave opponent like Hai Phong, the Nghe team is forced to enter the match with the highest fighting spirit, along with the most reasonable calculations. Only then can coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team hope to take their fate into their own hands, instead of waiting for luck. The fate of Song Lam Nghe An now lies in their own feet./.