V-League match schedule today: Sad youth football derby, will HAGL push SLNA down?

Although there are only 2 rounds left in the V-League, there are still 5 teams competing to avoid relegation.

V-League relegation race heats up until the last minute

The clash between SLNA and HAGL is one of the most notable matches of round 25 of the V-League, taking place at 5pm today, June 15, at Vinh Stadium. The reason is that these two teams have many things in common: they have a youth training center that produces famous stars; they both take care of and create conditions for their "homegrown" players to play in the V-League (SLNA and HAGL are the two teams with the lowest average age in the league), they have a philosophy of training and team building, and they currently have many U.23 and U.20 Vietnam players...

SLNA (left), one of the teams that prioritizes young players, is currently not officially relegated.

PHOTO: MINH TU

However, this is a "youth football derby" with a sad tone. HAGL has only officially been relegated since the previous round, while SLNA is still struggling to find a way to stay in V-League next season.

Sharing with the press in December 2024, coach Kim Sang-sik once confided: "Young Vietnamese players have very few opportunities to show themselves in the V-League, this is a worrying reality". However, if you look at teams that rely on young players like HAGL or SLNA today, you will see a harsh reality. The total score of the two teams up to now (49 points) is not even equal to the top team Nam Dinh (51 points). While the two young teams are struggling in the bottom group, the team that spends a lot of money to buy stars, recruit good foreign players and has not been strong in training for a long time like Nam Dinh is preparing to successfully defend the throne. Vietnamese football needs clubs that boldly invest in young players, but where are the teams that really persevere with that philosophy now?

Among the teams that prefer to use "homegrown" players, only Hanoi FC (champion in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022) and The Cong Viettel (champion in 2020) have reached glory. The formula is very clear: have a strong youth training center to hone many gems, then intertwine with high-class seniors. HAGL and SLNA are both capable of training players for the first team, but low funding sources and seemingly inappropriate training methods... have caused the quality of the youth to decline. And when the two teams do not have enough money to "be strong because of rice", bringing in good foreign and domestic players, youth becomes an obstacle. Lack of experience, lack of courage and weak mentality at the most important moments.

HAGL has stayed in the league and perhaps SLNA will also be safe. Meeting an opponent who has run out of motivation at Vinh Stadium is a golden opportunity for coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his team to take all 3 points. If SLNA wins, and Binh Dinh and Da Nang draw or lose, the Nghe An team will stay in the league.

But, staying in the league and then what? is a question that both HAGL and SLNA cannot easily answer.

RACE FOR SURVIVAL

The match between Ho Chi Minh City FC and Binh Dinh FC at Thong Nhat Stadium (5 p.m. on June 15) is also worth watching. Binh Dinh FC has no way back with only 21 points and is second to last. Remember, although Binh Dinh is ranked above the bottom team Da Nang thanks to a better goal difference, if the two teams end the season with the same number of points, the head-to-head record will be taken into account. In this aspect, Da Nang is superior as they have won both the away and home matches against Binh Dinh.

SLNA will probably beat HAGL to be safe in this round. And in the last round, Da Nang can also take all 3 points when meeting SLNA, who have run out of goals. Only Binh Dinh Club has the most difficult schedule: meeting Ho Chi Minh City, who are desperate for points to stay in the league, and having to host Ha Noi (a team with a 99% chance of winning the runner-up position) in the last round.

Binh Dinh FC now has nothing left but... spirit. If they can maintain their fighting spirit like in the match against Thanh Hoa (equalizing in the 90+4 minute) or The Cong Viettel, Coach Tran Minh Chien and his team still have hope. Ho Chi Minh City FC is also in crisis with 5 consecutive losses, however, at home, Coach Phung Thanh Phuong and his team are capable of winning the match between the "miserables" to stay in the league.

The bottom team Da Nang will play Ha Tinh away in this round. Ha Tinh FC has lost both of its last two matches against teams that need points like SLNA or Quang Nam. This is a golden opportunity for Da Nang to continue winning and move closer to safety.

Match schedule
(all matches at 5pm on June 15)

Quang Nam - Nam Dinh

Hanoi Club - Viettel The Cong

Ha Tinh - Da Nang

Ho Chi Minh City - Binh Dinh Club

Thanh Hoa - Hanoi Police

Hai Phong - Binh Duong

SLNA - HAGL

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-thi-dau-v-league-hom-nay-noi-buon-tran-derby-bong-da-tre-hagl-co-day-slna-xuong-hang-185250614211243339.htm