An interesting detail about the search for the "new champion" of this year's National Cup (after Dong A Thanh Hoa was eliminated by Hai Phong at home in the previous round): There are up to 5 teams that have the opportunity to make history in the tournament if they win the championship. Among them are two teams currently playing in the First Division: Phu Dong Ninh Binh and Dong Thap, while the remaining three (not including the teams that have previously won the National Cup: Binh Duong, Song Lam Nghe An, and Hai Phong) are all from the V.League: Hanoi Police, The Cong, and Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
The earliest quarter-final match will take place on Saturday (March 29th) at Go Dau Stadium, where Becamex Binh Duong will face Phu Dong Ninh Binh . A team currently in the top 5 of the V.League facing a team that holds a dominant position (11 wins out of 11 matches) in the First Division will undoubtedly be unpredictable and exciting, especially since Binh Duong will only be allowed to field domestic players in this match.
This detail needs to be emphasized because, to achieve such success, Ninh Binh underwent a personnel "revolution" this season with the addition of many quality players, from last season's Golden Ball winner Nguyen Hoang Duc, goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, striker Dinh Thanh Binh, defenders Do Thanh Thinh, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Do Van Thuan… – all elite players that many V.League teams would envy.
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In this year's National Cup, Ninh Binh overcame two opponents (Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria Vung Tau) both through penalty shootouts. But Binh Duong – the team that last won the National Cup and is once again in the quarterfinals this year – is a different opponent. Interestingly, Binh Duong successively defeated Binh Dinh and Nam Dinh, also through penalty shootouts.
Although they won't be using foreign players, the Binh Duong team is still strong with a lineup of domestic stars such as Tien Linh, Ngoc Hai, Tan Tai, Duc Chinh, Minh Khoa, Vi Hao, Hai Huy, Minh Trong, Xuan Tu, and Trung Hieu. Therefore, if both teams aim high in the National Cup, considering all aspects, Binh Duong will still be considered slightly superior to Ninh Binh in this match, which promises to be very exciting.
The next two matches will both be played on March 30th.
At Vinh Stadium, Song Lam Nghe An – who had narrowly defeated Da Nang 1-0 in the previous round – faced Dong Thap, an interesting phenomenon of this season. Just in the Round of 16, the team from the Mekong Delta caused a major upset by forcing Hanoi FC – the three-time National Cup champions – to exit the tournament in a tense penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw in regular time.
However, if we weigh the two teams against each other, the quality of Song Lam Nghe An's squad – one of the leading football academies in Vietnam for nearly half a century – is certainly still considered superior by many compared to their opponent from the First Division.
Meanwhile, the match between The Cong Viettel and Hoang Anh Gia Lai at My Dinh Stadium is also expected to be of high professional quality as both teams will be able to field their strongest lineups. Both teams have overcome "contenders" in the First Division in the Round of 16: The Cong defeated PVF CAND 2-0, while Hoang Anh Gia Lai needed a penalty shootout against Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
Considering their form in both the National Cup and the V.League (The Cong is currently ranked 2nd while Hoang Anh Gia Lai is 11th), The Cong can be considered the stronger team. In particular, in the first leg of the V.League match, also at My Dinh Stadium, The Cong won 2-1.
The latest quarter-final match will take place on April 22nd at Lach Tray Stadium between Hai Phong and Hanoi Police.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/cuoc-dung-do-dang-xem-tren-san-go-dau-post543855.html
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