This is the third consecutive year that the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team has participated in the Student Football Tournament. With a long history as a top-ranked team in Ho Chi Minh City's student football scene, Coach Ho Van Lung's team is always considered a strong contender for a spot in the finals.
The Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team (right) caused a major surprise by defeating the defending champions, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports, with a score of 2-0.
However, in the first tournament in 2023, they unfortunately missed the opportunity to advance to the play-offs due to playing too carelessly, missing many scoring opportunities and ultimately losing 1-2 to Van Hien University, a team that wasn't particularly strong at the time, in their opening match. This was followed by a crucial 0-2 defeat against a similarly matched opponent, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, rendering their 8-0 victory against Hoa Sen University meaningless.
Missing out on the first final round of the tournament didn't disappoint Coach Ho Van Lung. He once said: "After many years, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport (GTVT) team rebuilt itself with many first-year students. In the 2023 tournament, the students were still unfamiliar with the large scale of the Vietnamese student football competition. Therefore, mistakes were inevitable. Mistakes happen in football at any level; even experienced players who have competed in the World Cup make mistakes, let alone student players who always prioritize their studies."
Coach Ho Van Lung has also shared his thoughts on several occasions: "My wish is to participate in the finals of the Student Football Tournament with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team. We must try our best, we must make it happen. Personally, I am also very much looking forward to it, because I will have the opportunity to compete with many colleagues who have been student football coaches for a long time."
In their second appearance in 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team prepared very thoroughly and meticulously. The experience gained from their 2023 competition helped Coach Ho Van Lung's team make significant progress. They started perfectly with two victories against Dai Viet Saigon College (1-0) and Gia Dinh University (5-0), giving them high hopes of securing a playoff spot when they face the host team, Ton Duc Thang University, in the final match.
The players of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team were saddened to miss out on a playoff spot in their second appearance in 2024.
In their match against Ton Duc Thang University, the players from Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport played very well and with great determination. They took the lead twice, 1-0 and then 2-1, thanks to goals from Doan Quang Nhat and Nguyen Hoai An. They maintained this lead until the final minutes of injury time, securing their place in the play-off round.
But then, "that's football," coach Ho Van Lung exclaimed, his voice choked with emotion, when the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport players, in a moment of carelessness, allowed Nigerian student Oluka Praisegod to score in the 80+2 minute, equalizing the score at 2-2 for Ton Duc Thang University. This draw left the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team in second place in the group due to an inferior goal difference, losing their chance to advance to the play-off round by just a few seconds at the end of the match.
Tears of regret streamed down the faces of the players from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team. Coach Ho Van Lung and his colleagues were also moved to tears by the immense disappointment.
"But after the tears of disappointment from this match, we will prepare to return. We will prepare from the moment the tears of this disappointment have dried. The Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team will return for the third time in the TNSV tournament with a greater aspiration. We must not allow disappointment to dampen our determination," Coach Ho Van Lung affirmed at the time.
Nothing is sweeter than seeing a year's worth of determination now yield such sweet results. In their opening match in Group 1 of the Group E qualifying round (Ho Chi Minh City area), the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team defeated the defending champions, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports, with a 2-0 victory, opening the door to securing the top spot in the group and a place in the play-off round of the 3rd THACO Cup 2025.
Where you fall, you get back up; joy has returned to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team after nearly a year of diligent preparation.
However, this is just the first step; the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team needs to overcome the remaining two opponents in Group 1, namely the Saigon Polytechnic College team and the University of Finance - Marketing team, to fulfill their dream.
"There are still two matches left in the qualifying round. The Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport team needs to continue striving, treating each match like a final, and winning is essential to securing a place in the next round. We must get back up where we fall. We need to keep trying. The lessons from previous years are still there. The goal of qualifying for the finals is extremely difficult, but with the determination we have, nothing will stand in our way," emphasized Coach Ho Van Lung.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-truong-dh-gtvt-tphcm-nga-o-dau-dung-day-o-do-185241229124837906.htm
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