U21 Song Lam Nghe An and the challenge called U21 PVF

After a not-so-satisfactory group stage,U21 Song Lam Nghe Anonly won 3rd place in group A - a result that forced them to face a very strong opponent, U21 PVF, in the quarter-finals. This is predicted to be a tough match for the young players of Song Lam Nghe An, because the team from the PVF center not only possesses a squad of quality young players but also has outstanding squad depth.

Under the guidance of coach Nguyen Duy Dong - who is very good at training young people - U21 PVF is showing a cohesive, effective and stable playing style. In their current squad, there are many familiar names who have played for the Vietnam National Youth Teams such as Thai Ba Dat, Le Thang Long, Khuc Trung Hieu, Nguyen Le Phat or Bui Hoang Son... These are all players with high professional ability, good personal skills and have played together for many years, creating a well-organized and well-balanced team.

The unbeaten record in this year’s tournament with 5 wins and 2 draws is the clearest proof of the strength of PVF U21. They entered the knockout round as one of the brightest candidates for the National U21 Championship this year.

However, U21 Song Lam Nghe An is not an easy team to defeat. In terms of strength, coach Pham Anh Tuan's team has many names with experience in fighting at the national team level and the V.League. Therefore, in terms of courage and experience, the young team from Nghe An is not inferior, even a bit better.

The biggest drawback of U21 Song Lam Nghe An up to this point is the lack of cohesion in their playing style. The two group stage matches against U21 PVF-CAND and U21 SHB Da Nang clearly revealed the lack of coordination between the lines and the disjointedness in tactical operations. It seems thatCoach Pham Anh Tuanhas not yet found the optimal formula to connect individuals into a unified block. If this weakness is not improved, the prospect of stopping early in the quarterfinals is entirely possible.

However, U21 Song Lam Nghe An still has some certain advantages. Firstly, in terms of physical strength, they have more rest time than U21 PVF before the quarter-final match. In the harsh weather conditions in Ho Chi Minh City and the tight schedule of the tournament, physical strength plays a very important role. This precious break not only helps the players recover physically but is also an opportunity for the whole team to review what happened in the group stage, thereby adjusting tactics and spirit in the best way.

In addition, the return of goalkeeper Nguyen Huu Hau and creative midfielder Le Dinh Long Vu is also very good news for the coaching staff of U21 Song Lam Nghe An. With these two key players in the squad, coach Pham Anh Tuan will have more options to build a suitable playing style for a "life or death" match.

Obviously, the quarter-final match with U21 PVF is not just a simple confrontation but also an important test for the ambition of U21 Song Lam Nghe An in this year's tournament.U21 PVFnot an easy opponent, but if they overcome this challenge, it will be a great mental boost to help the young players of Song Lam Nghe An gain more confidence and maturity on their journey to conquer glory.