Waiting for Coach Phung Thanh Phuong to help the "red battleship" escape

In round 21, Ho Chi Minh City FC will visit Thanh Hoa at 6 p.m. on May 4 ( FPT Play will report live). Coach Phung Thanh Phuong's team held the Thanh Hoa team to a draw in the first leg, but it will not be easy to get points when facing this opponent again in the context of fierce competition for relegation.

Thanh Hoa aims for top 3

The lack of effective foreign strikers in the attack is a big disadvantage for Ho Chi Minh City FC in the second leg of the 2024-2025 V-League. The ineffective attack makes it difficult for the "red battleship" to find goals. Striker João Pedro was reinforced to serve the goal of staying in the league but was continuously absent due to injury, scoring only 1 goal after 5 appearances.

Meanwhile, midfielder Endrick dos Santos has gradually been "figured out" by the opponent and has lost his effectiveness because he has continuously played the role of conductor in the midfield of the "red battleship". After 16 matches, the 30-year-old Malaysian star has only had 2 goals and 2 assists. Despite his sharp vision, Endrick does not have a compatible partner in attack, making the attacking tactics of Ho Chi Minh City Club not surprising and lacking in diversity. Many times, Endrick did not meet his physical condition and his form declined, but the domestic force was not of enough quality to take on the task in his place.

In the last five matches, Coach Phuong and his team have only scored 3 goals and conceded 6 goals. From being in the top 6, Ho Chi Minh City FC is now nearing the bottom of the table and needs to accumulate maximum points when competing with teams of equal strength to be able to complete the goal of staying in the league.

Chờ HLV Phùng Thanh Phương giúp — Ho Chi Minh City Club (left) will try to get points when they play Thanh Hoa again on May 4, to ensure their place in the league. Photo: VPF

The task of repeating the achievement of finishing in the top 4 as last season seems impossible for the Thong Nhat Stadium team. However, the goal of accumulating points to stay in the league does not seem too much for Ho Chi Minh City Club in the remaining 6 matches of the tournament. Fans are expecting Mr. Phuong's strategy to help the "red battleship" get at least 1 point in the match against Thanh Hoa and be in the middle of the rankings when the V-League 2024-2025 ends.

Thanh Hoa FC, currently ranked 5th, seems to have no chance of winning the championship this season, but they are aiming for a position in the top 3. Therefore, when hosting Ho Chi Minh City FC this weekend, the home team will certainly use all their strength to get 3 points in the hope of achieving results to report to the fans.

The "thirst for points" of the bottom group

In the midst of a tense season, Binh Dinh and Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) are both facing their own "final" matches: Determined to gain points to avoid relegation.

In this round 21, Binh Dinh will host HAGL in a must-win situation if they don’t want to fall to the bottom of the table. This match is not only a competition between contrasting performances, but also a measure of each team’s mettle in the decisive stage.

Binh Dinh (16 points) is going through a worrying period when it is only 2 points ahead of the bottom team Da Nang - the position that will be directly relegated. Playing in Quy Nhon, coach Quang Huy and his team will deploy a 5-4-1 tactic, defending and waiting for a counter-attack opportunity. Under the pressure of "all or nothing", the home team will certainly play with the spirit of having nothing to lose, determined to get at least one point while the away team will certainly not risk taking the initiative to attack.

With tactical calculations and pressure from fans, the match at Quy Nhon Stadium at 6:00 p.m. on May 4 (FPT Play) promises to have a series of dramatic developments until the last minute.

Round 21 also has some interesting matches taking place today (May 3) between Hong Linh Ha Tinh Club and Binh Duong (6pm); Hai Phong Club vs. Song Lam Nghe An (7:15pm). And the late match between Quang Nam Club vs. Cong An Ha Noi (5pm, May 5).