Pre-match information
Hoang Anh Gia Lai is facing another round of pressure when playing away at Dong A Thanh Hoa stadium. After two consecutive defeats against PVF-CAND and Hong Linh Ha Tinh, the Mountain Town team dropped to 11th place with 22 points, only 5 points ahead of the bottom group.
Losses against direct competitors have caused Hoang Anh Gia Lai to lose the advantage in the relegation race. If they continue to be empty-handed in this round, coach Le Quang Trai's team may be shortened by the bottom group when the season is only a few rounds away.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai's away form has also been unstable recently. The Mountain Town team often does not maintain a series of positive results for too long. In the most recent away game, they defeated Song Lam Nghe An in a match where the opponent had to play with one less player early after goalkeeper Cao Van Binh's red card.
While Hoang Anh Gia Lai is under great pressure, Thanh Hoa is facing the opportunity to soon complete the relegation target. The Thanh team currently has 24 points, 7 points more than the bottom two teams. If they beat the opponent at home, coach Mai Xuan Hop's team is almost certain to stay in the V.League before the two rounds.
Thanh Hoa's recent form also brings confidence to the players. In the last 5 rounds, they won 8 points. Despite just losing to Hanoi Police 0-2 in the previous round, Thanh Hoa's performance at Hang Day was still rated positively, especially in the ability to organize defense and maintain the game for most of the match time.
