National U15 Finals - Thai Son Bac Cup: Unknown factor U15 SLNA

(Baonghean.vn) - With U15 Vietnam unexpectedly winning the U15 Southeast Asian Championship right in Thailand, the National U15 Finals - Thai Son Bac Cup 2017 became more attractive. U15 SLNA under the leadership of coach Ngo Quang Truong went to Tay Ninh to compete for the championship after many years of absence.

Among the 8 teams present in Tay Ninh to participate in the National U15 Finals - Thai Son Bac Cup 2017, HAGL, PVF, Viettel are the candidates for the championship. U15 SLNA is considered an unknown because coach Quang Truong has 4 players who played for the National U15 team recently including Xuan Tien, Van Cuong, Quang Thuan, Van Bach.

Championship candidate

Not the current champion HAGL but PVF is the most promising candidate for the championship. PVF owns 7 U15 Vietnam players who just won the U15 Southeast Asia Championship 2017, such as: Lam Hao, Quang Truong, The Hung, Quoc Hoang, Chi Bao...

In the qualifying round, PVF affirmed their formidable strength with 8 wins, scoring 72 goals and only conceding 1 goal. Experts assessed that PVF will likely top Group B (including PVF, Viettel, Dong Nai and Sanatech Khanh Hoa) and will be SLNA's semi-final opponent in case SLNA fails to overcome HAGL in the group stage.

Home team U15 Tay Ninh (white shirt) held defending champion HAGL to a 1-1 draw. Photo: Internet

Group B, also has Viettel, who also came to the finals convincingly when they had 7 wins, 1 draw and scored 23 goals without conceding any. U15 Viettel also has the largest number of players for the U15 Vietnam team, second only to PVF, including the names Ba Quyen, Van Khang, Ba Duong, Nhat Minh, Thanh Trung.

It seemed like the juniors of Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, Cong Phuong and 4 new faces from HAGL Academy would easily top Group A, but surprisingly they were held to a 1-1 draw by the home team Tay Ninh on the opening day.

Meanwhile, U15 SLNA with the pillars Xuan Tien, Van Cuong, Quang Thuan, Van Bach scored 4-0 against Thanh Hoa, in which in addition to Van Thong, Quang Thuan scored the first hat-trick of the final round. This makes the HAGL-SLNA match this afternoon (August 4) more exciting than ever. If they win, coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team will soon pocket tickets to the semi-finals.

SLNA unknown

SLNA has won countless youth championships, but the U15 age group is where they have had the most difficulty. In 19 times organizing the National U15 Finals, only once in 2002 did they defeat The Cong, a very strong training center at that time, on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes of play.

This year's squad, coach Quang Truong has two trump cards, which are captain Ba Quyen and top scorer candidate Quang Thuan.

U15 SLNA (yellow shirt) is an unknown quantity at the finals. Photo: Internet

If Quang Thuan is a player who plays quite simply, presses the opponent's defenders well, and is extremely sensitive in finding positions, then Ba Quyen reminds viewers of his senior Huy Hoang. Playing aggressively, sweeping, and knowing how to shout at the defense, goalkeeper Van Viet is quite relaxed.

Experts say it won't be too difficult for U15 SLNA to get a ticket to the semi-finals, but to get deep into the finals, coach Quang Truong needs not only calculation but also a bit of luck.

If PVF is considered better, Viettel is only "equal" with the young players from Nghe An, calculating who to meet in the semi-finals is a matter of caution.

Among the 8 coaches at K this time, Coach Quang Truong is the one with the most experience in coaching. He has fought in V-Laegue. Nghe An fans have been waiting for the National U15 Championship Cup for 12 years, Ba Quyen and his teammates will be the ones given that responsibility./.

AT