Midfielder Vo Ngoc Toan - after more than 2 years, joy returns!

(Baonghean.vn) - SLNA had to accept a regrettable defeat against the visiting team Hanoi FC. But for Vo Ngoc Toan personally, the recent match marked a return after extremely difficult months.

In the 43rd minute, in the match between SLNA and Hanoi FC at Vinh Stadium, the midfielder wearing the number 9 shirt scored a goal to shorten the score to 1 - 2 for the Nghe An team. Taking advantage of the chaotic situation in front of the opponent's goal, Vo Ngoc Toan quickly fired a decisive shot to defeat goalkeeper Van Cong. This was a worthy reward for the tireless efforts of the player born in 1994.

In detail, it took 796 days (July 4, 2015 - September 10, 2017) for Vo Ngoc Toan to score his second goal for the Nghe An team in the V.League. Remember in round 14 of V.League 2015, SLNA visited the home team B.Binh Duong, it was Vo Ngoc Toan who scored the goal in the 3rd minute, helping coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team leave Go Dau stadium with a valuable point.

The 2 goals were scored more than 2 years apart, against different opponents, but both had the same scenario. In the situation of penetrating the opponent's penalty area, Vo Ngoc Toan confidently and accurately finished with his weaker foot (left foot). Mentioning those 2 goals shows that Vo Ngoc Toan is gradually regaining his inherent qualities, after a period of decline.

Vo Ngoc Toan celebrates scoring against Hanoi FC. Photo: Document

Perhaps, for many players playing in the midfield, having to go through more than 2 long years to score another goal is nothing to be happy about, especially when the home team is playing poorly. However, Vo Ngoc Toan is different. Recently, the player from Quynh Luu has been playing poorly due to declining form and constant injuries.

V.League 2016 was a truly forgettable season in Vo Ngoc Toan's career. Playing a total of 23 matches - equivalent to 1536 minutes, all the 23-year-old midfielder could do was score 0 goals and get sent off once. Not only did he not play a good attacking role, even his defensive ability brought him disappointment.

The evidence is that in the match SLNA - SHB Da Nang (0 - 2) in round 21, Vo Ngoc Toan was taken off the field by coach Ngo Quang Truong due to elementary mistakes, when the first half had not yet ended. That poor performance is a typical example of the poor form that Vo Ngoc Toan showed in last year's season.

Lack of confidence, weakness and lack of clarity in every move and dispute is a fairly complete sketch of Vo Ngoc Toan in the last football season.

Vo Ngoc Toan suffered a knee injury in the match against HAGL. Photo: Document

Entering V.League 2017, it seemed like everything would become brighter for the player wearing the number 9 shirt. After appearing for the last 20 minutes in the opening match of the season at Thanh Hoa Stadium, then in the confrontations with XSKT Can Tho, S.Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam FC, Vo Ngoc Toan left a bit of an impression in the role of defensive midfielder. However, 2 consecutive injuries to the ankle and knee ligaments, this player only played for 91 minutes, before returning in the recent match with Hanoi FC.

With 78 minutes on the field, 1 goal and strong ball disputes, Vo Ngoc Toan brought certainty to SLNA's midfield. The cool, decisive and precise kick of the midfielder from Quynh Luu, partly showed that Vo Ngoc Toan's confidence is returning. In the sadness of the Vinh home team's defeat, there was still a glimmer of joy and consolation that the 23-year-old player had just brought.

2 years, 2 months, 6 days of struggling with a decline in performance and injuries is too difficult and tiring for a young player like Vo Ngoc Toan. "After the rain, the sky is clear again", now is the time for the midfielder born in 1994 to show all his inherent talent, not to disappoint SLNA's coaching board and Nghe An fans any more./.

Thanh Hung