On the rankings, Thanh Hoa has 25 points, ranked 4th. They will have the opportunity to rise to 2nd place on the rankings if they defeat Hoang Anh Gia Lai. Meanwhile, the team from the Mountain City has 17 points, ranked 10th.
Thanh Hoa entered this match with a change on the coaching bench. Mr. Velizar Popov has left the team after a poor performance in recent times. The Thanh team has gone through a series of 10 consecutive matches without a win. In the V.League, the team has not won in the last 6 matches.
The last time Doan Ngoc Tan and his teammates won the V.League was on November 24, 2024. Although coach Popov has made a great contribution to helping the team reap titles in previous seasons, the Thanh Hoa team's leadership is forced to make changes to revive the home team's achievements.
Mr. Mai Xuan Hop, a former Thanh Hoa player, will replace Popov as interim coach. Mr. Mai Xuan Hop understands his hometown team very well and has experience working with many players, so this is an opportunity for him to prove his ability.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai is also having a series of declining performances like Thanh Hoa. Coach Le Quang Trai's team has only won 1 of their last 8 matches in the V.League. They no longer show danger and effectiveness with their defensive and counter-attacking style of play as effective as in the beginning of the season.
Instead, the team showed a deadlock in attack. The foreign players did not have the necessary and harmonious combinations. If they do not improve their performance soon, Hoang Anh Gia Lai will face the same problem of relegation as last season.
In the first leg, Hoang Anh Gia Lai drew 1-1 with Thanh Hoa at home. Tran Bao Toan helped the home team take the lead, but Le Van Thang equalized in the 90+4 minute.
The head-to-head record is leaning towards Hoang Anh Gia Lai. They have not lost to Thanh Hoa in the last 5 meetings, including 3 draws and 2 wins. Last season, Hoang Anh Gia Lai beat Thanh Hoa 2-1 away.
Expected lineup:
Thanh Hoa: Thanh Thang, Viet Tu, Gustavo, Thanh Long, Thai Binh, Thai Son, Van Thuan, ribamar, Ngoc Tan, Ngoc My, Luiz.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai: Kien Trung, Van Son, Ly Duc, Anh Tai, Marciel, Quang Nho, Bao Toan, Thanh Son, Ngoc Quang, Minh Vuong, Huu Phuoc.
Score prediction: Thanh Hoa 1-1 Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
