Quarterfinals of the National Cup SHB.Da Nang-SLNA: Misery meets hardship!

These are two teams that still show determination to play in the National Cup, but their recent form is really bad. In the 2018 V-League, SHB.Da Nang lost 3 consecutive matches, and at Vinh Stadium, the home team SLNA lost to the bottom team Nam Dinh, who had previously lost all 5 matches. The quarter-finals of the National Cup will be more about testing tactics for the two coaching staffs than winning or losing.

Sad Number 7

4 months after returning to Hoa Xuan Stadium to replace his senior Le Huynh Duc as coach of SHB.Da Nang, Minh Phuong has yet to show his mark as coach. The former national team captain has used 22/25 players at his disposal but has yet to find a satisfactory lineup. It is estimated that only goalkeeper number 3 Dang Ngoc Tuan and 2 midfielders Dang Anh Tuan - A Mit are still sidelined due to injuries.

Do Merlo, with his forte in playing aerial balls, is still the most important player of SHB.Da Nang. Photo: To Minh

7 matches with 7 different lineups and only 7 goals and 7 points, a terrible start for the team that has been the "dark horse" of V-League for many years. Few people expected SHB.Da Nang to only have 2 wins at home against Quang Nam and Saigon, and to receive 4 losses, most notably the crushing 0-4 loss to Hanoi right at home.

If in Le Huynh Duc's time, SHB.Da Nang only used one trick, using the two wingers Quoc Anh or Thanh Phuc to use the technique of dribbling the ball close to the sideline and crossing it right to Merlo's head, every 3 times they did that they would score at least 1 goal. Now Merlo is old, Cu Vit (Thanh Phuc's nickname) has returned to Tam Ky, Quoc Anh has retired, SHB.Da Nang is struggling to find itself.

New coach Minh Phuong is shaking up his squad to build a tactical plan. SHB Da Nang even switched from a 4-man defense to a 3-man center-back lineup, but neither Lam Anh Quang nor Ewonde have learned their lesson and 13 goals have been conceded.

SHB.Da Nang is happy when national team midfielder Vo Huy Toan returns after injury. In addition to 2 goals, this player also has 2 assists.

SLNA dry season

The “storm” of injuries has left captain Nguyen Manh, central midfielder Ngoc Toan, right winger The Cuong, striker Phuc Tinh, and foreign player Osmar Moreira… sidelined. Recently, defender Duong Manh Hung also had to undergo nose surgery after colliding with a Nam Dinh player at Vinh Stadium. After 7 matches, the source of players has been visibly depleted, with some players showing signs of “battery drain”.

This will be the match for the coaches to assemble the team for the upcoming "crossing the gate" trip at V-League 2018. Photo: Internet

At the beginning of the 2018 V-League season, people identified 4 teams with a high risk of relegation: XSKT.Can Tho, B.Binh Duong, Sai Gon and newcomer Nam Dinh. Up to now, XSKT.Can Tho, B.Binh Duong are flying high on the rankings, while SHB.Da Nang and SLNA have replaced them. It has been a long time since SLNA had such a bad opening season, playing 4 home matches, drawing 3, losing 1.

Osmar has been able to practice again, Xuan Manh and Dinh Hoang are ready after their suspension. But Olaha seems to have mental problems after a malicious tackle by Dinh Luat (HCMC), Khac Ngoc just had a match below his ability. The attack seems to be too much if we only rely on Tuan Tai, the player who scored again but still lacks the ability to handle the ball in the 16.5m box.

The two teams took the field, but the opponents they wanted to beat were Quang Nam and Ho Chi Minh City, the teams that SLNA and SHB.Da Nang will face in round 8 of V-League 2018. This will be the match for the coaches to assemble the squad for the upcoming "crossing the gate of heaven" trip.

Therefore, if any team “accidentally” scores first, they will most likely win and enter the semi-finals of the National Cup. Of course, the losing team will not be too sad because they still have a lot of work to do in V-League 2018.