U17 Song Lam Nghe An aims to win first place in Group B.

After two matches in Group B of the 2023 National U17 Championship Finals,U17 Song Lam Nghe AnThey won all their matches, scoring 10 goals and keeping a clean sheet. With this result, coach Phan Tiến Hoài's team has secured their place in the quarter-finals, one match early.

Looking back at the two matches played so far, it's clear that U17 Song Lam Nghe An has displayed a convincing style of play. With superior ball control and the players' flexibility in off-ball movement, U17 Song Lam Nghe An has launched diverse attacks, making it difficult for opposing defenses to cope. In particular, the attacking quartet of Trong Tuan, Le Dinh Long Vu, Phung Van Nam, and Tran Quoc Hoa have shown versatility in their approach to the opponent's goal. This has created numerous opportunities for U17 Song Lam Nghe An to score against Khanh Hoa and Dong Thap.

Coach Phan Tiến Hoài (far right) during the match against U17 Đồng Tháp. Photo: Hải Hoàng

Entering their final match in Group B, U17 Song Lam Nghe An will face U17 Hue. Coach Phan Tien Hoai's team only needs a draw to secure first place in the group. Before the match against the team from Hue, coach Phan Tien Hoai set the goal: “We will encourage our players to try their best and achieve a favorable result. Even a draw would guarantee U17 Song Lam Nghe An first place in Group B. Finishing first in the group will help U17 Song Lam Nghe An avoid strong teams in the quarterfinals, only having to face the team that finished third in Group A or second in Group C.”

U17 Song Lam Nghe An is in a favorable position as their squad is intact and in good form. However, conquering future milestones requires coach Phan Tien Hoai to have a longer-term strategy. Therefore, in the match against Hue, the coach from Nghe An will likely rest some key players to avoid unnecessary yellow cards and injuries.

The head coach of the U17 Song Lam Nghe An team stated: “We will make some adjustments to ensure the fitness of our key players, avoid yellow cards, and thus have the best possible squad for the next round.”

However, U17 Song Lam Nghe An should not be complacent against U17 Hue. Through the two matches played so far, this opponent has also shown quite good capabilities. They are perfectly capable of causing problems for stronger opponents.

This led coach Phan Tien Hoai to be cautious when assessing the Hue U17 team. “I consider Hue to be a team with many high-quality players. Their playing style focuses on ball control, and they have experienced players who competed in the 2022 National U17 Championship,” said Coach Hoai.

Trong Tuan scored a brace to help U17 Song Lam Nghe An win 3-0 against U17 Dong Thap. Photo: Chung Le

Following their recent resounding victories, the U17 Song Lam Nghe An players are in high spirits. During training before the match, the players from Nghe An province showed great desire and determination for this season. In particular, U17 Song Lam Nghe An captain Nguyen Trong Tuan is in brilliant form, having scored two consecutive braces in two group stage matches. Besides his influence in leading the attack, Trong Tuan also serves as an extension of the U17 Song Lam Nghe An coaching staff.

The head coach of U17 Song Lam Nghe An commented: “Trong Tuan is an important player for U17 Song Lam Nghe An. Through the two group stage matches, Trong Tuan has shown very high performance. He has proven his abilities. Furthermore, the captain of U17 Song Lam Nghe An is quite exemplary and meticulous in his daily life. He often reminds his teammates to follow the coaching staff's regulations, helping the players focus on training to achieve their best performance on the field.”

This afternoon, March 14th, at 2:00 PM, U17 Song Lam Nghe An will face U17 Hue at the PVF Stadium. This is the final match in Group B of the 2023 U17 National Championship Finals.