The victory created momentum for the new year for Song Lam Nghe An.

Among the participating teams, Song Lam Nghe An hadwinimpressed against SHB Da Nang in the National Cup qualifying round to advance to the quarter-finals. This is good news for coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team and many fans of Nghe An.

However, is the goal of going deep in the National Cup really feasible when the team is currently ranked 13th/14th in V. League, the number 1 arena of Vietnamese football?

The answer is definitely no. Song Lam Nghe An’s top goal right now must be to stay in the V.League. This is something everyone can clearly confirm. The current strength is unlikely to help the team create a miracle at the National Cup, especially when facing strong teams like Dong A Thanh Hoa – a team that has prioritized this tournament in recent seasons.

So why did Song Lam Nghe An try so hard to defeat SHB Da Nang instead of "giving up" like they did against Binh Phuoc last season? The answer is very simple: The team needs a victory to boost their morale after a series of poor results in the last 9 rounds of V. League, especially in the context of coach Phan Nhu Thuat's return to lead. Even if the team decides to "give up" in the upcoming quarter-finals, there is still time to focus all their efforts on the relegation battle in V. League.

The recent break was an opportunity for Song Lam Nghe An to strengthen their squad, with the return of Van Khanh and Khac Ngoc. At the same time, the team also changed their tactics from 3-5-2 to 4-1-4-2 or 4-1-5-1 – systems that have brought them success. The 1-0 victory over SHB Da Nang, with Xuan Tien scoring after a smooth coordination, was a valuable test for Coach Nhu Thuat to prepare for the matches in V.League.

Although the starting lineup was not the strongest – without key striker Olaha, two new players Van Khanh and Khac Ngoc had not played, Ba Quyen had not registered, Quang Vinh only entered the field in the final minutes – the young players combined well with foreign players to defend firmly and attack effectively.

The return of key players like Van Khanh and Khac Ngoc is a positive sign, but we also need to look at the reality. Both are no longer the first choice at their old team, Nam Dinh Steel Blue, and it is difficult for them to immediately make a big change. Their V.League experience is something to be appreciated, but their resilience and performance may have declined.

Besides, Song Lam Nghe An still has to rely on "homegrown" talents such as Van Viet, Mai Hoang, Van Thanh, Ba Quyen, Quang Vinh, Long Vu - who need more time to mature to carry the team.

While other teams invest heavily in foreign players, Song Lam Nghe An faces numerous challenges due to limited resources. However, the victory in the National Cup could be the first step for coach Nhu Thuat and his team to regain their form, create momentum and continue to fight in the V.League 2024-2025.

Hopefully, the first victory of the year will be the motivation to help the team overcome difficulties, towards a more successful new year 2025.