The V-League 2023 situation is gradually taking shape after 10 rounds. According to the new format, the teams competing for the championship in the second phase will play a total of 20 matches (including 13 matches in the first phase and 7 matches in the second phase) this season. That means the first 10 rounds are half of the journey that the teams have gone through. Although the point gap is not too large, in general, the candidates capable of competing for the championship have been revealed.
From being a "phenomenon" at the beginning of the season, Thanh Hoa Club has risen to become a leading candidate for the championship title. Dinh Tung and his teammates won 4 out of the last 6 matches, earning 14 out of 18 absolute points.
Thanh Hoa Club is flying high
In addition to their energetic playing style, varied attacks and solid defense, coach Velizar Popov's team is also highly regarded for their ability to overcome difficulties. The Thanh Hoa team knows how to win in matches that could be drawn and draw in matches that could be lost. Always knowing how to gain points (even when playing poorly) and overcoming adversity are qualities required of a championship candidate. Coach Popov has molded Thanh Hoa Club into an admirable competitive spirit, even though he has not coached them for a full season.
Concerns about the depth of Thanh Hoa's squad are not a big problem. Although there is still a gap in the quality between the main and reserve players, Coach Popov's team benefits from the fact that the 2023 V-League has many breaks. In March (to serve the U.23 Vietnam team in the Doha Cup), May (to serve the 32nd SEA Games) and June (to serve the national team's concentration), the V-League has had 3 postponements, each lasting at least 3 weeks. This helps Thanh Hoa Club recharge its batteries and devote maximum effort to each match, instead of worrying about the problem of spreading out its strength in the context of a dense match schedule.
Lam Ti Phong (middle) has played outstandingly since moving to Thanh Hoa Club from Ho Chi Minh City Club.
However, Thanh Hoa FC's opponent, Hanoi Police Club, in this round is also on the rise. Coach Flavio Cruz's students also won 4, drew 2, and earned the same number of points as Thanh Hoa FC in the last 6 matches. Although Hanoi Police Club's performance has caused controversy, such as in the hard-fought 2-1 victory over SLNA in round 9, it cannot be denied that this is still a brave team. Having to assemble many new players and changes in the coaching staff made Hanoi Police unstable in the first 5 rounds. However, once they get into the groove, Van Hau and his teammates are breaking away very quickly.
The attractive point of the match at Thanh Hoa Stadium this round lies in the open attacking style of play that the two teams choose. Both Thanh Hoa Club and Hanoi Police Club tend to play with ball control, pressing directly into the opponent's defense line, and at the same time hitting the sidelines at breakneck speed to score goals. While Thanh Hoa Club has explosive runners like Ti Phong, Quoc Phuong, Hanoi Police Club also has Tan Tai, Van Hau or Van Thanh. The fierce battle in each position on the field comes from the fiery playing style, not afraid of collisions of the two teams, which is also the "spice" needed in a match considered the final of the first phase.
Can Van Hau (left) help Hanoi Police Club win this important match?
The match between Thanh Hoa and Hanoi Police will define the championship race more clearly. If they win 3 points at home, Thanh Hoa will be at least 6 points ahead of the chasing pack, moving closer to the number 1 position after the first stage. If they lose, the gap with the second team will be only 1 point, and a mental breakdown may occur. Mr. Popov's team needs at least a draw to temporarily cut off the opponent's excitement.
Thanh Hoa Club has the advantage of winning the last 4 home matches, scoring 13 goals (more than 3 goals per match), but Hanoi Police team is not afraid of away matches as they have won the last 2 matches, scoring 7 goals against their opponents.
Besides the obvious professional and competitive factors, the match at Thanh Hoa Stadium on June 5 is expected to be a "nail" match dramatic enough to restore the appeal of the V-League. For a long time, Vietnamese football has lacked rival matches with enough weight from history, expertise to star quality. Hanoi Police Club and Thanh Hoa Club do not have a big enough history of rivalry, but with their efforts and ambitions for the top position this season, the two teams promise to create a match worth watching.
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