Changes are ineffective
Last season, Hong Linh Ha Tinh finished V.League in 5th place. Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong's counter-attacking defensive style and goal of winning at least 1 point in each match have helped the team achieve the best result in the club's history.
However, after that successful season, Hong Linh Ha Tinh has changed. Captain Nguyen Thanh Cong and his assistants took turns saying goodbye. Meanwhile, players such as Luong Xuan Truong, Adou Minh, Tran Dinh Tien, Dang Van Tram, Geovane, Mbo... also left Ha Tinh Stadium.
This forced the Central team to undergo a "major renovation". The Board of Directors decided to appoint new head coach Nguyen Cong Manh with the task of helping the team overcome the difficult start.
However, with modest finances and additional attraction in the average compared to the V.League level, the young strategist can only include a few mid-range names such as Nguyen The Hung, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Doan Cong Thanh, Nguyen Van Hiep or foreign player Atshimene Charles.
Yevhen Serdyuk - a face valued at up to 800,000 euros by Transfermarkt - is the most famous contract that Hong Linh Ha Tinh had before entering the season.
The lack of breakthrough changes is also the reason why Ha Tinh did not start as well as expected. In the opening match, despite showing confidence and creating many dangerous situations, Hong Linh Ha Tinh still lost 1-3 to Ninh Binh.
Last year, this team had the second best defense in the league, conceding only 20 goals in 26 matches. But in round 1 of the 2025-2026 season, Hong Linh Ha Tinh conceded 3 goals. If Ninh Binh took advantage of the opportunity, the number of times the Ha Tinh goalkeeper went into the net to pick up the ball probably would not stop at 3.
Need to make more efforts
After the opening match, it is not difficult for fans to recognize the void in the defense that Adou Minh left behind. Nguyen Van Hanh - the replacement for the overseas Vietnamese player did not have enough qualifications and capacity to compensate. In addition, the attack, although creating some lines in front of the opponent, was limited in finishing. Yevhen Serdyuk, Van Hiep or Charles Atshimene... could not put the ball into the net.
Coach Nguyen Cong Manh admitted that the attack took advantage of the weak opportunities. He affirmed that he will work with the team to be determined to defeat Da Nang in the next round.
That effort is only guaranteed in terms of results when Hong Linh Ha Tinh won 1-0 against the Han River team. However, in terms of playing style, Ha Tinh played with less vitality than the 1-3 comeback loss to Ninh Binh.
Da Nang was not good, Hong Linh Ha Tinh did not break through. The match was slow, lacking professionalism and interrupted by fouls. According to the assessment, the 3-4-3 formation that coach Cong Manh arranged for the home team could not create cohesion.
In the context of a lack of stars, Ha Tinh needs to take advantage of every turning point opportunity of the match. However, the 3 points against Da Nang partly encouraged the fighting spirit of Trong Hoang and his teammates.
Playing at home in round 3 against Dong A Thanh Hoa, who are unstable, will be an opportunity for coach Nguyen Cong Manh and his team to assert themselves and bring more efficiency from playing style to results.
