Win big or lose everything?

A "shock" at Binh Phuoc Club.

On the afternoon of February 28th, exactly one day before the crucial match, Binh Phuoc FC announced their departure from coach Nguyen Anh Duc. A representative of the team stated that the strategist from Binh Duong had resigned, despite the management's desire for continued collaboration. This decision came as a surprise to experts because, after the 0-1 defeat against Ninh Binh FC in round 9 of this season's First Division league, Coach Anh Duc remained optimistic, asserting that the race was not over and that he and his players would fight their hardest.

Coach Anh Đức parted ways with Bình Phước FC after he and his players fell far behind Ninh Bình FC in the league standings.

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

Highlights of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Club 0-3 Ninh Binh Club | Round 10 of the 2024-2025 First Division League

It is highly likely that Binh Phuoc FC will recruit a more high-caliber coach with a more impressive track record. However, parting ways with Coach Anh Duc at this sensitive time causes concern among the team's fans. Binh Phuoc FC desperately needs a victory to boost morale, which has been somewhat affected by the defeat against Ninh Binh FC. A new coach is unlikely to make an immediate difference, while Coach Anh Duc has been with the team since its early days. He understands the strengths and weaknesses of each player, enabling him to devise the best personnel and tactical strategies to achieve victory against their rival, PVF-CAND FC.

Will Cong Phuong play?

Another cause for concern for Binh Phuoc FC is the uncertainty surrounding Cong Phuong's availability. He suffered a hamstring strain in the match against Dong Nai FC on January 19th and will need approximately one month to fully recover. This means that if his recovery goes smoothly, the striker from Nghe An will be able to return for the clash against PVF-CAND.

However, so far, neither Cong Phuong nor Binh Phuoc FC have shown any signs of him being ready to play. If the striker is absent, Binh Phuoc FC will face significant difficulties because the team is severely lacking a player who can control the ball, lead the play, and create breakthroughs. Without Cong Phuong, experienced V-League strikers like Le Thanh Binh and Ho Tuan Tai will have no opportunities to score. This was evident in the loss against Ninh Binh FC. Clearly, the problem of over-reliance on Cong Phuong remains unresolved.

Binh Phuoc Club needs Cong Phuong to return as soon as possible.

On the other side of the pitch, PVF-CAND FC is also in impressive form with a streak of 4 consecutive wins, including 3 clean sheets, scoring 6 goals and conceding only 1. Midfielder Martin Lò has made a significant contribution with 1 goal and 2 assists. He is a player that Binh Phuoc FC needs to be especially wary of. Furthermore, PVF-CAND FC boasts strong cohesion thanks to a group of young players who have played together since childhood.

With Ninh Binh FC possessing overwhelming strength, leading the table with 10 wins out of 10 matches and showing no signs of slowing down, Binh Phuoc FC and PVF-CAND, both with 20 points, need to consider competing for second place, equivalent to a play-off spot for promotion against the second-to-last team in the V-League. Therefore, the team from the cashew-producing region needs to make every effort to revive their morale, especially after parting ways with coach Anh Duc. However, this is no easy task.

VAR will be applied in the key match of the first division league.

Given the crucial nature of this match, which will affect the playoff qualification, VAR will be applied in the clash between Binh Phuoc FC and PVF-CAND. This is the second time VAR has been used in the First Division, following the match between Binh Phuoc FC and Ninh Binh at the Binh Phuoc stadium.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khuc-cua-quan-trong-cua-cong-phuong-va-clb-binh-phuoc-duoc-an-ca-nga-ve-khong-185250228201715751.htm