Ha Tinh Although Ha Tinh scored 4 goals and lost in round 9 of V-League 2023, coach of Ho Chi Minh City Club Vu Tien Thanh praised the defense for playing well, not as "boring" as the previous match.
After his team lost 3-5 to Hanoi Police in round 8 at Thong Nhat Stadium, coach Vu Tien Thanh said he was "very disappointed" with Ho Chi Minh City's defense, "didn't think they played that badly".
At Ha Tinh Stadium in round 9 on the evening of May 27, Ho Chi Minh City conceded four more goals. But at the post-match press conference, Mr. Thanh not only did not blame but also praised his players. "Overall, the defense played well throughout the match. The quality of defense improved a lot. We were just unlucky because defender Jonny Campbell received a red card, and the home team was penalized," the coach said at the post-match press conference.
Coach Vu Tien Thanh celebrates with his assistants after Ho Chi Minh City scored to raise the score to 2-1 in the 2-3 loss to host Ha Tinh on the evening of May 27. Photo: Duc Hung
Playing away at Ha Tinh Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City surprisingly played well and opened the score early thanks to Victor Mansaray. Although the home team captain Dinh Thanh Trung equalized 1-1 in the 30th minute, Ho Chi Minh City continued to lead 2-1 thanks to Hoang Vu Samson's goal in the third minute of injury time of the first half. Early in the second half, Mansaray completed his double, helping Ho Chi Minh City increase the gap to 3-1.
However, Ha Tinh then made a spectacular comeback. From the 63rd to the 74th minute, Pinto and Thanh Trung scored consecutive goals with close-range rebounds, tying the score at 3-3. The drama of the match came in the last minute of extra time in the second half, after a well-coordinated move on the right wing, midfielder Van Long swooped in to score the final score of 4-3 for Ha Tinh.
"Losing after leading 3-1 is really hard to accept. At first, we thought we would take home a point. The team was unlucky to lose a player when Jonny Campbell received a red card, and towards the end of the match, the players lost their stamina, making it difficult to play in the last 20 minutes," said Mr. Thanh.
Despite the reverse defeat and the team being at the bottom of the table, the head coach of Ho Chi Minh City Club is still optimistic, saying that the gap with the teams right above the red light group is not large. As long as they play well in the next rounds, the team can still change the situation.
Mr. Vu Tien Thanh said that Ho Chi Minh City's defense played well in this match, the loss was due to defender Jonny Campbell (blue shirt, number 99) receiving a red card from the 73rd minute. Photo: Duc Hung
"I think it will be difficult for Ho Chi Minh City to enter the top 8, the most realistic goal now is to compete for relegation. I'm not worried about anything. We are building a very united team, with good spirit, and stable scoring, the problem now is to solve the defense a little more stably," Mr. Vu Tien Thanh added.
On Ha Tinh's side, coach Nguyen Thanh Cong revealed that he realized the opponent was weak in defense on both sides, so he instructed his players to try to attack the flanks to find opportunities, and finally achieved unexpected results.
"This victory comes from the attitude, determination, and desire of the players. When they were down 3-1, the players lost confidence, but then they regained their spirit very quickly and won. The team will be determined to gain points in the final matches of the first leg, realizing the goal of entering the top 8 to stay in the league early," said Mr. Cong.
Members of the HCM City coaching staff pull players up after they collapsed on the field after Ha Tinh's 4-3 winning goal. Photo: Duc Hung
With three points, Ha Tinh rose to sixth place with 13 points. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is still at the bottom of the table with 4 points. In round 10, Ha Tinh will visit Nam Dinh, while Ho Chi Minh City will return home to host Da Nang.
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