The home team Binh Duong has 7 points, ranking 7th out of 14 points, 3 points behind the leading team Thanh Hoa. This result is not bad for the home team at Go Dau Stadium, however, their recent form has not been high.
In the previous round, Binh Duong lost 0-1 at The Cong Viettel despite having an extra player in the second half. Before that, they beat Binh Dinh in the National Cup after a penalty shootout, despite leading 2-0.
Meanwhile, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has 9 points, ranking 3rd. The team from the Mountain City is 1 of 2 clubs that have not lost this season. After a series of 2 consecutive wins at the beginning of the season, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has drawn 3 recent matches, including winning points against 2 strong opponents, the current V.League champion Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa - the team that won the National Cup last season.
Both teams are facing their own problems. Binh Duong is showing some dependence on striker Nguyen Tien Linh – who has scored 4/6 goals for the team in V.League.
In terms of defense, Binh Duong only kept a clean sheet in 1/5 matches at the beginning of the season. The fact that center back Que Ngoc Hai did not play in the last 2 matches has somewhat affected the team's strength, especially the ability to command the defense.
Most likely, Que Ngoc Hai will return to play when facing Hoang Anh Gia Lai. This central defender's extensive experience is expected to be the key to helping the home team block the skillful attacks of the away team such as Minh Vuong and Marciel.
On Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s side, their playing style has been somewhat predictable in the last 3 matches. The team from the Mountain City can no longer easily approach the opponent’s goal like before, only scoring 2/3 goals recently. However, they still have a very solid defense when they have only conceded 2 goals – the least in V.League.
The head-to-head record between the two teams is in favor of Hoang Anh Gia Lai. In the last 5 meetings, the team from the mountain town won 3 and drew 2. Last season, Hoang Anh Gia Lai beat the home team 1-0 at Go Dau Stadium, in addition to a 1-1 draw at Pleiku Stadium.
Expected lineup:
Binh Duong: Minh Toan, Tan Tai, Ngoc Hai, Janclesio, Minh Trong, Minh Khoa, Odilzhon, Trung Hieu, Vi Hao, Thanh Nhan, Tien Linh.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai: Trung Kien, Ly Duc, Jairo, Du Hoc, Quang Nho, Thanh Son, Bao Toan, Ngoc Quang, Minh Vuong, Elias, Marciel.
