Song Lam Nghe An's chance to break away from the top of the table.

It seemed that the players from Nghe An would be slow to restart after the V.League 2022 resumed, but Coach Huy Hoang and his players had two consecutive wins at Vinh Stadium and kept a clean sheet. It has been a long time since Song Lam Nghe An topped the V.League standings with impressive statistics, the team with the most wins (4), and the team that conceded the fewest goals (3 goals).

Opponent in the next 3 rounds

Song Lam Nghe An's schedule for the next three rounds includes matches against SHB Da Nang (away), Hai Phong (home), and Hanoi FC (away). The difficulty of the matches is expected to increase, and the game against Hanoi FC is considered a major challenge for Coach Huy Hoang's team. If they can overcome Van Quyet's team, or even just secure a point, their chances of remaining in the top 3 of the first half of the 2022 V.League season will be significantly improved.

Young midfielder Xuan Tien is playing with increasing maturity alongside Xuan Manh. Photo: HT

That being said, it doesn't mean thatLam River, Nghe AnNghe An team easily won against SHB Da Nang and Hai Phong, but their opponents lacked the necessary stability and squad depth. Hai Phong, after two losses, showed that their defense is still not entirely reliable. Meanwhile, the team from the Han River, under coach Phan Thanh Hung, still has a lot of work to do to adjust their defense.

This allows Song Lam Nghe An to consider earning points in their two away matches and one home match in the upcoming rounds.

Expertise Corner

Not only did they win two consecutive games, butCoach Huy Hoang"Turning crisis into opportunity": In the absence of foreign player Ojong, Mark boldly pushed Xuan Manh to play central midfield, and this has been initially successful. In fact, in the 4-4-2 formation, his predecessors had previously tried this national team player in this position, but he didn't fully utilize his abilities and strengths.

The Song Lam Nghe An team's formation is essentially a 3-1-4-2, with Xuan Manh, Xuan Tien, and Van Duc positioned in the midfield. This is the key to Coach Huy Hoang's tactical "innovation," as Van Duc moves inwards to allow Sy Hoang to attack down the left wing. With one assist and one goal, Sy Hoang has shown improvement, earning the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates. Meanwhile, Dinh Hoang (and Van Cuong) have both demonstrated good attacking abilities on the flanks and provided strong defensive support.

Dinh Hoang received a red card for defending against a counter-attack. Photo: SL

Coach Huy Hoang is currently training Xuan Tien to play the role of "supporting attacker" for Xuan Manh. When his senior teammate pushes forward, this young player's task is to provide cover and prevent counter-attacks, and he is doing quite well in this role. If he can overcome his physical weaknesses, his chances of starting will be much higher.

Oseni and Olaha have scored in the last two matches when their opponents were distracted by Song Lam Nghe An's attacks. This is a positive sign that the Nghe An team needs to capitalize on in future matches.

Song Lam Nghe An's weakness lies in their three-man defense. Van Khanh and Ba Sang have repeatedly struggled against counter-attacks that penetrated straight through the center. The defenders' positioning is problematic, and when opponents break through, they are forced to commit fouls and receive yellow cards. When the attacking line fails to defend against counter-attacks, goalkeeper Van Hoang's goal is immediately threatened.

There have been many instances where coach Huy Hoang has instructed foreign players Oseni and Olaha to participate in defensive duties from afar, but this is only a temporary solution. Abandoning the compact defensive style after scoring has made things more difficult for Song Lam Nghe An's defense, but it's clear that the team from Nghe An still needs to focus on high-speed defensive tactics. Hai Phong and Hanoi have foreign players who are skilled at holding off defenders and playing with great strength.

Two consecutive victories have propelled Song Lam Nghe An to the top of the league table. More importantly, however, Song Lam Nghe An needs to strive for 7 points in the next 3 rounds to secure their leading position during this crucial period.