Losing to Hanoi, SLNA faces difficulties at the 2017 National U19 Finals

(Baonghean.vn) - If they win against U19 Hanoi in the second round, SLNA will be sure to secure a ticket to the semi-finals. However, there was no surprise when the intention of keeping a clean sheet of coach Nguyen Dinh Dung and his team was ruined by a single goal.

SLNA U19's intention to get 1 point against Hanoi U19 was completely ruined due to the lack of concentration of the defense in the first minutes of the second half - Photo: Trung Kien.

Before facing each other in the second round taking place this afternoon, March 24, both U19 SLNA and U19 Hanoi had 3 points and shared the first position in Group B. Therefore, whichever team won would get the first ticket to the semi-finals. Therefore, during the first half, U19 Hanoi with a better quality squad actively played on the field and organized many dangerous attacks.

Meanwhile, U19 SLNA showed caution with a tight defense and quick counterattacks to keep their net safe. In the first 45 minutes, coach Nguyen Dinh Dung's students were successful when goalkeeper Duong Van Cuong's goal was still sealed.

The first half of the match ended in a 0-0 draw, with Hanoi's key strikers such as Le Van Nam and Tran Van Cong helpless.

If they do not win against U19 PVF in the next match, U19 SLNA will have to accept stopping at the group stage of the 2017 National U19 Finals - Photo: Trung Kien

Not long into the second half, the team that was considered a candidate for the championship this year surprisingly got what they wanted when striker Van Cong took advantage of a corner kick and the lack of concentration of the U19 SLNA defense in the 52nd minute to head the ball to open the score of the match.

Having scored a goal, U19 Hanoi still did not want to stop but also created many dangerous scoring opportunities towards U19 SLNA's goal. In which, many times goalkeeper Van Cuong's goal was put in an alarming state, even once strikers like Le Van Nam of U19 Hanoi hit the crossbar of the opponent's goal.

In this match, SLNA's midfield was completely outclassed. SLNA U19's coaching staff added Dang Van Lam to replace Bach Tien Cuong and made some other changes in the attack to keep 1 point.

However, the efforts of coach Nguyen Dinh Dung's students were completely fruitless because of the reasonable playing style and even quality of the opponent's squad.

Unable to score even 1 goal, U19 SLNA accepted the final loss 0-1 and had to watch their opponent advance to the semi-finals. At this time, U19 Hanoi has 6 points, U19 SLNA has the same points as U19 PVF but loses in terms of goal difference.

For U19 SLNA, to be present in the semi-finals, the young team from Nghe An must win against U19 PVF in the final match of Group B taking place on March 26.

Trung Kien