Coach Thanh Cong was very successful in understanding his opponent!

It was no coincidence that the first half of the match between HAGL and Ha Tinh, at Ha Tinh Stadium yesterday afternoon (November 15), took place with an extremely tight situation. Both sides almost did not create any really significant dangerous situations towards each other's goal.

The decisive goal of the match only came in the second half, with Viktor Le scoring for Ha Tinh, and it was a goal that came in a way that those who watched the match did not expect. Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong's team showed no signs of accelerating or putting strong pressure on HAGL's field. They scored by taking advantage of the opponent's lack of concentration, when the second half had just begun (minute 48).

Viktor Le (number 14) scored a goal to help Ha Tinh Club defeat HAGL.

This is a true “lurking” way of scoring. A team does not need to play too fast, too aggressively, sometimes even as if to lull the opponent to sleep, making the opponent feel that they are not dangerous. But right when the opponent thinks that, when the opponent seems to be… sleepy, the attacking team suddenly launches the decisive blow. Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong’s Ha Tinh Club applied this style of play against HAGL.

And in fact, that is also the playing style that HAGL of Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh often applies in this year's season. "Weak" must use "power", both HAGL and Ha Tinh have determined that they are the weak team in the V-League, they cannot attack the opponent enthusiastically, they can only use tricks to lure the opponent into a trap, then wait for the opportunity to finish the opponent.

Highlight Ha Tinh Club 1-0 HAGL Club | Round 8 V-League 2024-2025

Ha Tinh Club is similar to HAGL in that after taking the lead, Ha Tinh had no reason to push the squad too high, determined not to create opportunities for the opponent to counterattack.

That is also what HAGL often does when they are leading this season, especially when HAGL led against Hanoi Police Club (CAHN) in the last round. At that time, Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh's team defended very tightly, with the team falling very low in their own half, focusing on defending against the opponent's attacks.

Ha Tinh Club (red shirt) beat HAGL with reasonable gameplay

Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong seems to understand clearly what HAGL is strong at and what it is not, so he knows how to neutralize the playing style of the mountain town team. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong understands that Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh's team is usually only dangerous when the opponent plays freely, leaving open space behind for HAGL to exploit. So, the best way to counter HAGL is to stop playing freely.

Only once did Ha Tinh almost concede a goal in yesterday afternoon's match, after Minh Vuong's free kick hit the crossbar in the second minute of extra time of the second half. However, that was a situation where Minh Vuong was too good (but unlucky) on an individual level, not because HAGL coordinated too well, forcing Ha Tinh to make mistakes. Facing an opponent who understood them too well and had a similar playing style to their own, HAGL was stuck, simply because the mountain town team facing Ha Tinh was like facing themselves. In life, how many people are capable of defeating themselves?!

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hagl-gap-dung-khac-tinh-hlv-thanh-cong-da-qua-thanh-cong-khi-hieu-thau-doi-thu-185241116113329473.htm