Injured center-back Zaracho - a worrying gap for Song Lam Nghe An

Difficult start in foreign land

When Sebastian Zaracho joinedLam River Nghe AnIn early August 2024, many fans of the Nghe An team expected the Paraguayan central defender to become an important piece to help strengthen the defense that was lacking solidity.

With a height of 1m86, weight of 85kg, left foot and strong, fierce playing style, Zaracho is considered an ideal "steel wall" in the back line. However, his journey to adapt to Vietnamese football was not easy.

In the first rounds of the Song Lam Nghe An team, Zaracho encountered many difficulties in adapting to the new environment. He often made personal mistakes, could not control the playing tempo of the Vietnamese players well and was confused in defensive coordination situations. Many people questioned the adaptability and the real value of this foreign player contract.

However, the turning point came in early 2025 when veteran central defender Hoang Van Khanh returned to wear the shirt of his hometown team. The combination of Zaracho and Van Khanh in the 4-4-2 formation brought about clear results. They became a harmonious and solid pair in the center of the defense, helping the Nghe An team gradually regain stability.

The first match the duo played together was against Binh Duong in round 11 of the V-League, where Song Lam Nghe An kept a clean sheet and won 1-0. In the 7 matches that Zaracho and Van Khanh played together, the team only conceded 8 goals. This is an acceptable number in the context of many changes in the squad.

Coach Phan Nhu Thuat could not hide his satisfaction: “Center-back Zaracho is an important player, actively contributing to Song Lam Nghe An's playing style. With his physique, strength and fierce playing style, he has brought steel to our defense.”

Zaracho injured and worrying gap

When the defense was gradually stabilizing and gaining the trust of fans, Song Lam Nghe An suddenly encountered an incident.

In the match against Thanh Hoa in round 18 of V-League 2024/25, Zaracho unfortunately suffered an ankle injury. According to information from the club, he will need at least 3 weeks to recover. This is a serious loss in the context of the Nghe An team struggling in the relegation race.

Currently, coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team are ranked 12th on the rankings with 18 points, only 2 points more than the second-to-last team Binh Dinh. Meanwhile, the next 3 rounds will see Song Lam Nghe An face tough opponents such as Quang Nam, Viettel and Hai Phong. The absence of a key player in the defense at a crucial moment makes the personnel problem more difficult than ever.

“In the next 3 rounds, we will face strong teams. Not having Zaracho in the squad will certainly cause many difficulties. Hopefully the replacement players will perform well in their assigned roles,” coach Phan Nhu Thuat shared.

Who can replace?

Not only affecting the defense, Zaracho's injury also caused Hoang Van Khanh to lose his partner. In many recent matches, Zaracho stood out with excellent saves, which were no different from the goals that saved the home team.

The most promising candidate to replace Zaracho at this time is central defender Le Van Thanh. The player wearing the number 5 shirt has played relatively consistently in 2025, standing out with good competition ability, strong in aerial battles and choosing the right position. However, Van Thanh's weaknesses lie in speed and physical strength. He often runs out of breath in speed races and has difficulty maintaining stability throughout the entire 90 minutes of play.

Another player who can replace him is young central defender Tran Nam Hai. With good physique and smart playing style, Nam Hai can be a strategic card to help the team temporarily fill the void left by Zaracho.

However, the worrying point for Nam Hai is his lack of playing experience. His lack of playing time during the season has made his ball sense and connection with his teammates on the field not really good. This could greatly affect Song Lam Nghe An's defense in decisive matches.

It can be affirmed that all replacements for Zaracho are only temporary solutions. The absence of the Paraguayan central defender at this time is a heavy loss in terms of expertise. In addition, it also affects the confidence and fighting spirit of the whole team in the most intense period of the season.

Hopefully, the Paraguayan central defender will recover soon to return to the field, continuing to be a solid support in the defense in Song Lam Nghe An's arduous journey to find a ticket to stay in the league./.