(Football analysis) - The V-League will reopen with two make-up games for round 10, with the main focus on the battle between Thể Công Viettel and Nam Định.
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At Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Thể Công Viettel (22 points) — the team that surprisingly lost 1-4 to SLNA in the match before the Tet break — will host the reigning champions Thép Xanh Nam Định (12 points). No one would doubt the home team's chances of winning if they maintain their good form after a very forgettable round 13 game, where their defense repeatedly made mistakes and the attack failed to turn pressure into chances or convert those chances into goals.
Even though Thể Công Viettel was trailing 1-2 and SLNA lost a player with about 20 minutes left, few expected Thể Công Viettel to fail to earn at least a point. However, the rest of that match turned into a nightmare for coach Popov’s team, as SLNA was the one showing efficiency in counterattacks, twice punishing the opponent’s errors to secure an unbelievable scoreline right on the opponent’s ground.
If still aiming for a top 3 finish (Thể Công Viettel currently holds an advantage in points and has played one fewer match than Hanoi, Hai Phong, and CA TP HCM), Thể Công Viettel desperately needs a win at home against the reigning champions who have been struggling this season.
A streak of five consecutive draws has caused Nam Định to fall further behind the top group, but it also shows that the team from Nam is gradually regaining strength to aim for a mid-table position rather than just surviving relegation. Therefore, although slightly underrated in terms of form and playing away, the squad led by new head coach Jeromino will definitely target earning points in this crucial match.
Xuân Son unexpectedly fighting relegation alongside Nam Định
Wasting chances, Nam Định paid the price in the final minutes