Ninh Bình Coach Speaks Out About Overseas Vietnamese Player Thành Trung After Two Losses

After their unbeaten streak of 36 matches was halted, the Ancient Capital team faced another shock with a 1-2 home defeat against HAGL in Round 13 on the evening of February 7th.

Going into the match against HAGL, Ninh Bình was clearly favored, especially with quality players like Hoàng Đức and Geovane and the advantage of playing at home. However, the hosts encountered a disciplined, tactical, and efficient HAGL side. Small mistakes at crucial moments cost Ninh Bình dearly, resulting in a regrettable loss.

After the game, with the head coach absent from the press conference, assistant coach Đinh Xuân Việt spoke on behalf of the coaching staff. Regarding the defeat to HAGL, assistant Đinh Xuân Việt candidly said: “This result was unexpected. We tried very hard, but football has many unpredictable factors. HAGL prepared thoroughly and knew themselves and their opponent well. We studied and trained aiming for the best outcome, but luck was not on our side. Matches like this will serve as lessons for the whole team to learn from and perform better in the future.”

Assistant Đinh Xuân Việt also took responsibility when discussing the reasons for the loss: “All our efforts and preparations today did not yield the desired results. We will go back and work harder to improve. There are still 13 rounds ahead, and anything can happen. From these defeats, we must mature as quickly as possible to aim for upcoming victories.”

When specifically asked about Trần Thanh Trung’s performance and the U23 players, assistant Đinh Xuân Việt gave a fairly open yet realistic assessment: “Thành Trung played quite solidly, and I believe he will continue to develop. As for the U23 players, they have just returned and need time to better integrate with the team’s playing style.”

Despite going through a difficult period, Ninh Bình still has 13 rounds remaining to make corrections. The gap in the standings is not too large, and with timely adjustments, the Ancient Capital team can definitely get back into the championship race.

However, pressure is increasing with each round. Two consecutive losses have sounded a warning bell that Ninh Bình cannot be complacent, especially against disciplined and sharp counter-attacking teams like HAGL. In this context, the coaching staff’s ability to turn things around and the growth of young players, including overseas Vietnamese Trần Thanh Trung, will play a crucial role.