Song Lam Nghe An - The 'kind' guest at Lach Tray Stadium

The host is too strong.

Coach Huy Hoang decided to leave Van Duc on the bench to give Dinh Tien a chance to play. But without central defender Que Ngoc Hai, the home team Hai Phong only needed 19 minutes to score the first goal. Hai Phong players penetrated the left wing where Sy Hoang was defending and passed the ball back inside for Hai Huy to score. Hai Phong fans want to end the 2022 V.League season with an impressive victory, to pay back the debt of losing 3-0 at Vinh Stadium in the first leg.

Hai Phong audience pays tribute to coach Chu Dinh Nghiem. Photo: Song Nghe

Until the end of the season, Song Lam Nghe An still could not find satisfactory defenders, Khac Luong and Van Khanh played like two strangers. In the 4-1-4-1 formation, the highest striker Mpande managed to score a double, including 1 goal on the penalty spot. To be fair, this was a match where Song Lam Nghe An players played well, but in the final phases, Olaha, Oseni with Xuan Manh, Van Cuong, Dinh Tien lacked the necessary precision. Central midfielder Moses of the home team Hai Phong was present, breaking the siege of goalkeeper Dinh Trieu's goal.

Van Duc is like a lonely "swallow" on Lach Tray field. Photo: Song Nghe

Coach Huy Hoang's decision to send Van Duc, Manh Quynh, and Xuan Tien onto the field in the second half helped Song Lam Nghe An have a better game, especially when they ran down the right wing of the away team. In the attack, they scored a goal. Van Duc's 7th goal showed that midfielder number 20, not Olaha or Oseni, was the main player responsible for scoring goals for the Nghe team. Sitting in the stands of Lach Tray Stadium, more than anyone else, coach Park Hang-seo was very happy to see his favorite student score 5 goals in 3 consecutive matches at the end of the season.

Although Hanoi FC won 2-0 against Hong Linh Ha Tinh to win the championship in V.League 2022, the home team players still showed their gratitude to Hai Phong fans by scoring the 4th goal in the final minutes of the match. The "goal party" at Lach Tray Stadium helped make the runner-up celebration of coach Chu Dinh Nghiem and his team even more intense.

Curtain Call

With a heavy 1-4 loss, Song Lam Nghe An had to give up 5th place to Hoang Anh Gia Lai, who had just won 3-2 against host Dong A in a dramatic and exciting match. For those who know the inside story of the Nghe An team, the 6th place before the end of the season was not too surprising. The fact that Song Lam Nghe An lost to host Hai Phong, who had 13 unbeaten matches, and was coached by the best coach in V.League, was also expected.

Striker Oseni (Song Lam Nghe An) played poorly on Lach Tray field. Photo: Chung Le

Perhaps, after approaching professional football, sponsor Tan Long just knew to use V.League 2022 as a stepping stone for coach Huy Hoang and young players of Song Lam Nghe An to have another season of "practice" to mature. Spending a lot of money to select foreign players but in the end, Song Lam Nghe An's top 3 goal was not achieved, especially foreign player Mario only played 6 matches (342 minutes).

The decision to temporarily forget about achievements and send many young players to the field by the coaching staff of Song Lam Nghe An is considered reasonable, although a bit late. Nghe An fans are waiting for the young players to have a farewell gift for Vinh Stadium fans when playing against the visiting team Nam Dinh, who have run out of goals and have just "escaped" after a 3-0 victory over direct competitor Saigon.