THE GREAT WAR AT LACH T RAY
HAGL has slowed down after a period of sublimation at the beginning of the season. Two defeats in the last 3 rounds not only dragged coach Le Quang Trai and his team down to 5th place, but also pointed out HAGL's limitations. The loss to Binh Duong Club came from a fragile mentality, when the mountain town team received 4 goals in a row despite having the advantage of opening the score. Meanwhile, the loss to Ha Tinh, although "lighter" in terms of results (0-1), was more worrying: HAGL seemed to lack the tactics to approach the opponent's goal. The Pleiku home team can play effective defensive counter-attacks against strong opponents, but when facing opponents with a similar philosophy and having to attack, HAGL is stuck.
HAGL (left) must win to return to the top of the V-League rankings.
With a young squad lacking cohesion as most of the new players are playing their first V-League season together, HAGL does not have enough strength to dominate. Coach Le Quang Trai’s players can only measure their strength, play tight defense, press with high intensity and attack quickly to gain the advantage.
In the match at 7:15 p.m. today (November 19), HAGL will face Hai Phong at Lach Tray Stadium. Last season, the mountain town team drew 1-1 at Lach Tray, then won 2-1 in the second leg at Pleiku to win a ticket to stay in the league. Compared to the 2023-2024 V-League, HAGL is now stronger, while Hai Phong Club is weaker because coach Chu Dinh Nghiem has said goodbye to many key players. A thin squad, lacking in all three lines, and poor foreign players are causing Hai Phong Club to stand second to last, without knowing the taste of victory after 8 matches.
However, football is not a bridge. Hai Phong FC is not an easy opponent to defeat, thanks to the control-oriented playing style that coach Chu Dinh Nghiem has been cultivating for the past 2 years, combined with a good fighting spirit. Hai Phong snatched 1 point from Hanoi at Hang Day Stadium, almost drawing with Nam Dinh. Or in the match against The Cong Viettel, Huu Son and his teammates were down 3 goals, but tried hard to end the match with a score of 2-3. The port city team was pushed into a corner and had to fight back if they did not want to sink deeper.
The match at Lach Tray is unpredictable, as both teams are likely to choose a cautious style of play. However, Hai Phong FC has conceded 13 goals this season, the second most in the V-League. If they defend well, exploit the gaps behind the defense and take advantage of the impatience of Hai Phong players, HAGL will win.
N THE TOP TITLE IS DIFFICULT TO CHANGE OWNER
V-League is “hot” at both ends. Thanh Hoa Club (17 points) has a chance to defend the top spot in the rankings, when it only has to host the bottom team Da Nang at home at 6pm on November 20.
On the other hand, the second-placed team Nam Dinh with 16 points may find it difficult to take the lead. Because in this round, coach Vu Hong Viet and his team will face strong opponent Binh Duong. The match at Go Dau Stadium at 6 p.m. on November 20 is predicted to be "easy to go, hard to return" for Nam Dinh, because at home, Binh Duong Club has won 2, drawn 1, and scored 8 goals after the first 3 matches of the tournament.
The 0-1 defeat to host Hanoi has put Binh Duong Club in a difficult position. If they continue to lose to Nam Dinh, coach Hoang Anh Tuan's position will be shaken. The motivation to compete helps host Binh Duong gain the upper hand, but don't forget, the strong force with good form from both foreign and domestic players will turn the visiting team Nam Dinh into a "tough" opponent.
In the remaining matches, SLNA of coach Phan Nhu Thuat will face The Cong Viettel at Vinh Stadium at 6pm on November 19. Also on November 19, Hanoi will face Quang Nam. At home at Hang Day Stadium at 7pm on November 20, Hanoi Police Club will face Binh Dinh. With superior strength, all three representatives stationed in the capital are capable of taking all 3 points to narrow the gap with the top group.
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