The Cong Viettel had a 1-0 victory over Song Lam Nghe An in the previous round, thereby returning to 3rd place on the rankings. They continue to nurture the hope of chasing Nam Dinh and Hanoi FC, in the race for the championship.
After this match, coach Nguyen Duc Thang resigned and moved to another position. Replacing him to directly lead The Cong in the remaining journey in the V.League is Velizar Popov.
The Bulgarian strategist made his mark when helping Thanh Hoa win the National Cup twice. However, he was also fired by the Thanh team before taking the hot seat at The Cong Viettel.
Popov has high ambitions and understands Vietnamese football. He will debut for The Cong Viettel fans in the match against Da Nang at home. His task is nothing other than to win. The Cong Viettel used to top the rankings after the first leg. But since the return, they have lost 3 matches, won 2 and drawn 2 of the 7 matches played.
In the first leg, Da Nang - the team at the bottom of the table drew 1-1 with The Cong Viettel at home. The Han River team cannot compete with Khuat Van Khang and his teammates in all aspects. However, their form and spirit are on the rise, after 3 recent unbeaten matches.
Da Nang held Nam Dinh and Binh Duong to a draw before defeating Thanh Hoa in round 20. This result helps them revive their hope of staying in the league. They are only 2 points behind the second-placed team Binh Dinh and 5 points behind Song Lam Nghe An. The chance to stay in the league remains the same for coach Le Duc Tuan and his team.
The Cong Viettel will look forward to new adjustments to the playing style from new coach Popov, helping the team compete more freely and effectively. The home team will have the strongest force to welcome Da Nang, thereby making it easier for the Bulgarian strategist to come up with tactical plans.
When he was leading Thanh Hoa this season, Mr. Popov helped the Thanh team beat Da Nang with a score of 1-0. In addition, The Cong Viettel's head-to-head record against Da Nang is also very good, as they have won 4, drawn 3 and lost 1 in the last 8 meetings.
With such great advantages, The Cong Viettel is expected to defeat Da Nang at home.
The Cong Viettel vs Da Nang match will take place at 7:15 p.m. on May 2.
Expected lineups of the two teams:
The Cong Viettel: The Tai, Thanh Binh, Tuan Tai, Tien Dung, Huu Thang, Wesley Nata, Van Khang, Tien Anh, Amarildo, Pedro Henrique, Nham Manh Dung.
Da Nang: Bui Tien Dung, Duy Cuong, Duc Anh, Van Hung, Anh Tuan, Van Long, Cong Nhat, Van Huu, Emerson Souza, Thiago Henrique, Dinh Duy.
