"Capital derby"
Hanoi Police Club is the last team to win a ticket to the semi-finals of the 2024-2025 National Cup. In the quarter-final match, Phan Van Duc, Bui Hoang Viet Anh and Van Toan shined, helping the Police team win 3-1 against Hai Phong, thereby winning the last ticket to the group of four strongest teams.
Although they have not had stable performance in recent times, under the guidance of coach Mano Polking, Quang Hai and his teammates are still confident in implementing ball control, small coordination and diverse attacking ability.
The opponent of coach Mano Polking and his team is the team from the same capital, The Cong Viettel. The Cong Viettel defeated Hoang Anh Gia Lai with a score of 2-0.
With the guidance of coach Nguyen Duc Thang, The Cong Viettel tends to play sharp counter-attacking defense, making the most of rapid transition situations.
Thus, the semi-final match between Hanoi Police and The Cong Viettel is not only a confrontation between two teams in the same city but also a battle between two different football philosophies.
Commentator Quang Tung commented: "At present, this is a balanced match in terms of motivation, desire to compete and human quality. In the past, the two teams have also had almost similar performances but are generally unstable.
In the last meeting, Hanoi Police won by a fragile margin, so I predict that the upcoming semi-final will be very unpredictable. Everything will depend on the performance of both teams at the time close to the time of the semi-final (June 2025).
The match is about 1.5 months away. I think many variables will happen. The Hanoi Police team may be at a disadvantage as they are competing in 3 arenas: V.League, National Cup and Asian Cup C1".
Binh Duong has the advantage over Song Lam Nghe An
The second semi-final match is between Binh Duong and Song Lam Nghe An. Compared to the first semi-final match, in this match, the advantage is somewhat inclined towards Binh Duong.
"This season, Song Lam Nghe An has played with a relatively poor face and form in the V.League. The National Cup is a lifeline for the Nghe An team so that they can improve their image. The National Cup competition format can completely accommodate many teams, especially those that are rated lower.
On the other side, Binh Duong's squad in the 2024-2025 season is very good. However, they do not have stability in organization as well as playing style, the coaching staff changes constantly. Vi Hao's injury also significantly affects the strength of this team.
However, it should be noted once again, that is the semi-final taking place in June. That time could be right after the national team training session. Whichever team has more players to focus on the national team, that team may face many disadvantages in the semi-finals," commentator Quang Tung said.
