V-League Round 13: Than Quang Ninh vs. SLNA: Repeating the 2014 feat?

(Baonghean) - This weekend (June 28th), the V-League ball will roll again on pitches across the country after a break of more than two months for national teams to focus on training and competition. In this 13th round, SLNA will have a difficult away match at Cam Pha Stadium against Than Quang Ninh. Currently, in terms of strength, the home team is clearly rated higher, but it will certainly not be easy for SLNA to secure 3 points...

Last season, Than Quang Ninh, despite being a newcomer to the V-League, had ample financial resources to add many high-quality players to their squad. Playing at home, coach Dinh Cao Nghia and his team were eager to secure their first victory for their fans in the mining region. Meanwhile, SLNA entered the season facing numerous difficulties. Three days before the start of the 2014 V-League season, Minh Duc suffered a thigh muscle injury; midfielder Hoang Thinh was suspended due to a red card in the final match of the 2013 V-League season; and the hastily signed foreign strikers, Emile and Ndjodo, couldn't be expected to deliver much. Yet, coach Nguyen Huu Thang's team still demonstrated the mettle of a "big spender" in the V-League. And when the final whistle blew at Cam Pha Stadium, SLNA comfortably went home with three points.

Nhu Thuat (far right) and his teammates celebrate a goal at Cam Pha Stadium during the 2014 season.

Entering this season, SLNA faced financial difficulties, as well as the departure of crucial players, including captain and striker Le Cong Vinh, and especially the departure of coach Nguyen Huu Thang. It seemed that such significant losses would cause the young players to lose their direction. But no, after a brief stumble in the opening rounds, SLNA regained its image as a traditional team in the V-League.

Young players like Phi Son, Ngoc Hai, Manh Hung, Tuan Tai… under the skillful guidance of coach Ngo Quang Truong have combined seamlessly and effectively with the veteran players who have competed for many years in Vietnam's top league, forming a powerful and enthusiastic team. After 12 rounds, the 3rd place position with 21 points that Hoang Thinh and his teammates currently hold is the dream of many highly-rated teams at the start of the new season. This further demonstrates the remarkable progress of coach Ngo Quang Truong's team. Meanwhile, SLNA's opponent in the upcoming 13th round, Than Quang Ninh, with its abundant financial resources, has quickly become a real force despite this being only their second season in the top-level club competition. Having the same 21 points as SLNA and remaining undefeated at Cam Pha Stadium is proof of the strength of Coach Dinh Cao Nghia's team.

Ahead of the upcoming 13th round, both SLNA and Than Quang Ninh have had relatively difficult periods, with both teams dropping points in rounds 11 and 12. In round 11, SLNA, despite playing at home, couldn't beat the weaker Can Tho team. In the following round, SLNA disappointed by losing 1-2 despite taking the lead through Phi Son's goal. Meanwhile, the Than Quang Ninh team fared no better, only managing to earn one point in their two matches against Khanh Hoa and Da Nang. Therefore, this 13th round is seen as an opportunity for both teams to regain their form, and the winner will undoubtedly boost their morale significantly in the upcoming acceleration period.

Returning to SLNA's squad situation for their upcoming away match at Cam Pha Stadium, after losing more than half of their starting lineup due to national team duties and over half of those returning early due to injuries – including Nguyen Manh, Hoang Thinh, Tuan Tai, and Phuc Tinh – this is a significant blow for coach Ngo Quang Truong. However, fortunately, the injured players are recovering quite quickly. Phuc Tinh is now 100% fit, while Hoang Thinh and Tuan Tai are likely to play in the next match. Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh still needs another two weeks to fully recover. So, the domestic players are considered stable, but what about the foreign players? In this second phase of the season, SLNA's two foreign players from the beginning, Bosman and Abubakar, have had their contracts terminated. Instead, coach Ngo Quang Truong has brought in two strikers: Baba Salia (Ivory Coast) and midfielder Abdul Haruna (Nigeria). With their impressive track record and having somewhat proven their worth, the two new African strikers are expected to improve SLNA's finishing in the remaining rounds of the V-League.

Therefore, in their away match at Cam Pha Stadium on the afternoon of June 28th, SLNA, despite being considered weaker in terms of squad strength and facing immense pressure from the stands, still has the right to hope for a miracle similar to what their team achieved a year ago, thanks to the youthful energy, enthusiasm, and seamless teamwork of the players trained at the Song Lam academy, along with the quality addition of two foreign players. And if they succeed, the young SLNA players will gain even more confidence to conquer the V-League championship…

Canh Nam