U21 SLNA, U21 Hong Linh Ha Tinh and 'contradictory' goals

For the first time in history, in the qualifying round of the National U21 Football Tournament, each team will play seven qualifying matches (instead of the usual four or five matches, divided into two stages to match the general match schedule of the whole season issued by VFF).

With 18 teams registered to participate in the qualifying round, the organizing committee decided to divide the tournament into three groups, each group has 6 teams. After the qualifying round, the six teams ranked first and second in the three groups will join the two third-placed teams with the best records to qualify for the final round.

In case Hoang Anh Gia Lai team (the host of the final round with Kon Tum) is not in the list of eight teams, only the third team with the best record will be selected for the final round held at Pleiku stadium and Kon Tum stadium from October 13 to 22.

The champion comes from Hanoi

U21 Hong Linh Ha Tinh participated in this tournament with the main force of experienced and brave players and was the champion of the 2018 National U21 Finals when it was still called U21 Hanoi.

With names like Le Xuan Tu, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Do Sy Huy, Ly Cong Hoang Anh, Le Van Xuan, Tran Duc Nam, Pham Tuan Hai, they have just played excellently to win the 2019 National First Division Championship, promoted to V.League 2020. U22 Vietnam player Pham Tuan Hai was the top scorer of the 2016 National U21 Finals with Lam Ti Phong (S.Khanh Hoa).

SLNA U21 squad participating in the 2019 National U21 Qualifying Round. Photo courtesy

It is not for nothing that coach Minh Duc is confident in his goal of successfully defending the championship title at2019 National U21 Finals. After 1 year of competing in the First Division, the competitive experience of the young players of U21 Hong Linh Ha Tinh has been greatly enhanced.

Meanwhile, in group A, U21 SLNA "made things difficult for themselves" by losing all 3 matches, losing to U21 Cong An Nhan Dan (0-1) and U21 Pho Hien (0-5). Except for U21 Nam Dinh, U21 Viettel 1-3, the chance of going further for coach Nguyen Dinh Dung and his team is not high.

U21 SLNA is the team with the worst performance in the qualifying round, both in attack, defense and fighting spirit. A big surprise for SLNA fans and the team's coaching staff.

U21 SLNA missed another season

Still the talented teacher of youth training, Coach Nguyen Dinh Dung, along with a team of young players Thai Ba Sang, Mai Sy Hoang, Duong Van Cuong, Nguyen Ba Duc, Le Thanh Lam, Thai Bao Trung, Tran Dinh Tien, Tran Tien Anh, ... there are quite a few players who were once on the youth team list, but U21 SLNA is still considered "young".

U21 SLNA played disappointingly at the 2019 National U21 Qualifiers. Photo courtesy of SLNA FC

Few people thought that after winning the championship at the 2014 National U21 Championship held in Can Tho, Nghe An audiences would have to wait so long for the Gold Cup. As for Ha Tinh, it is very possible that although this locality has just started playing youth football, it will receive a gift "falling from the sky" at the 2019 National U21 Championship. It is true that the Lam River, "one side erodes, the other accumulates"!