Transfer In - DC Tran Anh Tuan (28) - From Phu Yen - $2.5k transfer fee
$11.5k a year for the next two years - 10 Heading, 15 Aggression, 14 Bravery, 12 Positioning, 11 Jumping Reach. Wonderful pickup comparatively for our backline (3*/3*).
Tran Minh Loi is the stopgap captain,
Tran Minh Chien the new vice-captain.
We sell 873 season tickets, a slight tick up from last year's 842.
Promotion Odds
2000-1 and 13th. That's a small improvement over last season, so we'll take it.
Binh Dinh is projected to head right back down to V-League 2, whilst we're anticipated to go relegation playoffs.
Transfer In - DLR Nguyen Thanh Thang (29) - From Nam Dinh
$9k stopgap with 13 Tackling and Teamwork, 10 Work Rate, and double-digit Acceleration and Flair. We signed him shortly before the deadline on a free to give us needed depth.
vs Binh Dinh
G: Hoang The Cuong
D: Nguyen Van Thanh/Tran Anh Tuan/Nguyen The Anh/Tran Thanh Tuan/Yaovi Soglo
MC: Van Van Loi/Tran Minh Loi
S: Do Van Hau/Christos Goumas/Nguyen Thanh Nam
31 -
Tran Anh Tuan wrecks the opponent and
Soglo picks up the loose ball, blasting it all the way down the pitch to
Van Hau. He has the defense beat and the mid-range score beats the keeper as opponents are catching up to him
1-0
44 -
Van Thanh intercepts and the flyball down the left flank sees a race between the keeper and
Van Hau. Keeper realizes he's not going to win so he runs back towards the net. Not fast enough, though, as the cross to
Thanh Nam is an open insurance score just before half
2-0
81 - This is what happens when you have a tired, scrub keeper because your top choice is out on international duty
2-1
Solid all around performance, keyed by
Yaovi Soglo's 7.8 PotM and
Do Van Hau's 7.6, although the latter missed several easy shots in the second half.
@ Quang Ninh (8th)
G: Hoang The Cuong
D: Nguyen Van Thanh/Tran Anh Tuan/Nguyen The Anh/Tran Thanh Tuan/Yaovi Soglo
MC: Van Van Loi/Tran Minh Loi
S: Do Van Hau/Christos Goumas/Nguyen Thanh Nam
23 -
Tran Minh Loi laterals to
Van Loi for the feed to
Van Hau outside the half-circle. 25 yard strike goes in and the place erupts!
1-0
51 -
Nguyen Thanh Thang is on at DL, whilst
Goumas sits for
Nguyen Xuan Ngoc, with
Nguyen Thanh Nam switching to the TM role
74 -
Nguyen Anh Tuan for
Tran Minh Loi and MC switch
82 - I'm swearing because I think this is going to slip away, when suddenly
Tran Anh Tuan's sliding tackle pries the ball loose and he's first to it. Pass
Nguyen Thanh Nam and the rainbow ball down the field hits
Van Hau all alone. He runs into the box and crosses, where
Xuan Ngoc comes from out of nowhere for the debut goal!!!!
2-0
92 -
Nguyen Anh Tuan wings out right to
Soglo for the dribble and perfect cross to
Van Hau, and we lock this one down!!!
3-0
Obviously there's less than zero chance of our keeping this up, but if you'd have told me before the season we'd win our first two games and put up a +4 GD to put us tied for 1st in the league - without
Tran Minh Chien - I'd have said you were full of it.
But here we are. 6 points with our youth pull keeper who isn't highly developed.