Than Quang Ninh vs. SLNA (6:00 PM, September 18th): Entering the tiger's den!
(Baonghean.vn) - With only 4 matches remaining in the V.League 2018, SLNA needs to capitalize on its opportunities to pursue its goal of winning a medal at the end of the season. However, with many key players missing, what options does coach Duc Thang have to break the losing streak at Cam Pha?
Force
On the league table, SLNA currently has 35 points, returning to third place after FLC Thanh Hoa was held to a draw by Nam Dinh at home. The Thanh Hoa team is only one draw behind, and in this round, Thanh Hoa will play at home against Quang Nam. Therefore, a slip-up in Cam Pha would see SLNA lose their third-place position to their neighbors.
A day after their match against SHB Da Nang, the Nghe An team traveled early to Quang Ninh to prepare for their match at Cam Pha Stadium in Round 23 of the V.League 2018. Coach Nguyen Duc Thang's team will be playing away without the services of three players: Vu Hai, Van Duc, and Xuan Manh.
Therefore, it is highly likely that goalkeeper Le Van Hung, Le The Cuong, and defender Vo Ngoc Duc will be selected. Midfielder The Cuong is not a bad choice; in the match against SHB Da Nang, he scored a brace to help SLNA secure 3 points. In round 23 of the V.League, Than Quang Ninh also suffered a loss in terms of personnel. Duong Van Khoa was the player who received an unfair red card in the match against B. Binh Duong in the previous round.
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| The first leg took place at Vinh Stadium, with the two teams drawing 2-2, but SLNA completely dominated the game thanks to Khac Ngoc. Photo: Trung Kien |
SLNA only lost in Cam Pha.
In the 10 encounters since Than Quang Ninh was promoted in 2014, SLNA has won 5, drawn 2, and lost 3. Notably, all three of those losses for the Nghe An team took place at Cam Pha Stadium between 2015 and 2017.
In terms of current form after 6 matches, Than Quang Ninh has lost 2, drawn 3, and only won 1 match against XSKT Can Tho. Meanwhile, SLNA has 4 wins and 2 losses in all competitions. In the V.League, only champions Hanoi FC have managed to break SLNA's 8-match winning streak.
A heated midfield
In this match, Than Quang Ninh will welcome back Mac Hong Quan and Nguyen Hai Huy after their suspensions. The battle in the midfield will be between two central midfield pairings: Hong Quan - Nguyen Sa and Khac Ngoc - Van Binh. In terms of form, skill, and attacking and defensive capabilities, SLNA's midfield pair is still considered superior to their opponents.
With the departure of "killer" Vu Minh Tuan, Than Quang Ninh's playing style has become less dangerous, relying more on the two wingers, Nghiem Xuan Tu and Nguyen Van Viet. Foreign players remain the differentiator for the team from the mining region. Brazilian striker Teofilo Eydison has 11 goals, while Silva Vinicius has 8, a significantly higher scoring rate than SLNA's foreign striker duo Olaha and Jeremie.
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| Than Quang Ninh welcomes the return of Hong Quan and Hai Huy to the midfield. Photo: QNFC |
In recent matches, Jeremie Lynch, despite scoring again, has been struggling with his finishing. Coach Duc Thang has been successful in implementing alternative strategies. Firstly, he has paired Pham The Nhat with Ngoc Hai instead of Van Khanh, and The Cuong has started instead of Xuan Thang. And it's very possible that Ho Tuan Tai – a player eager to play and score – will be considered at appropriate times.
Statistical
There's a common thread in the playing style of Than Quang Ninh and SLNA: the timing of their acceleration and goal-scoring. SLNA scored 8 goals (25%) in the first 15 minutes of the second half, while the home team also scored 11 goals (34.4%) in the same period.
However, SLNA was more effective in their approach and attacking play from the start. The team from Nghe An scored 6 goals (accounting for 19% of their total goals), while Than Quang Ninh only scored 2 goals in the first 15 minutes. Conversely, the team from the mining region played very well in the last 15 minutes with 7 goals (22%), while SLNA often ran out of steam later in the match and only managed a meager 3 goals in crucial moments.
Besides the balance of power, form, and home/away advantage, Coach Duc Thang will have to face a very experienced coach who is no stranger to SLNA, namely Coach Phan Thanh Hung. With both coaches facing shortages of players, the tactical battle between these two coaches will be decisive in determining the outcome of the match.
In previous away matches, SLNA has always played with a passive defensive mindset. However, based on the analysis above, it would not be surprising if SLNA scored first and struggled to maintain their lead.
PREDICTED LINEUP:
Than QN: ™ Tuan Linh: Thanh Hao, Xuan Hung, Viet Trieu, Thanh Hien, Van Viet, Nguyen Sa, Xuan Tu, Hong Quan, Silva Vinicius, Teofilo Eydison.
SLNA: ™ Van Hung, Dinh Hoang, The Nhat, Ngoc Hai, Ngoc Duc, The Cuong, Van Binh, Khac Ngoc, Xuan Toan, Olaha Michael, Jeremie Lynch.
PREDICTION: 2-2
Goalkeeper Vu Hai, Van Duc and Xuan Manh will miss the Than Quang Ninh match.
(Baonghean.vn) - Yesterday afternoon (September 15th), the Nghe An team traveled early to Quang Ninh to prepare for their match at Cam Pha Stadium in Round 23 of the V.League 2018.
