Song Lam Nghe An vs Ho Chi Minh City

Song Lam Nghe An and Ho Chi Minh City are set to square off at the Vinh Stadium in a bottom-half Vietnamese League 1 showdown.

With only Da Nang and Binh Duong (both winless) managing fewer league victories than Song Lam Nghe An across the opening ten matchdays (W1, D6, L3), the hosts should consider themselves lucky for lagging just six points behind the playoff line. Since a 3-1 demolition of Gia Lai in mid-April, they’ve only claimed one point from three League 1 outings (D1, L2), conceding at least twice on each occasion. But despite failing to keep a clean sheet in all five top-flight home matches this term, Nguyen Huy Hoang’s men come into proceedings as one of four League 1 sides yet to lose a league fixture on home turf (W1, D4). SLNA wouldn’t mind another share of the spoils, knowing they’ve suffered four defeats in their last six league meetings with Ho Chi Minh.

Meanwhile, the visitors netted multiple goals on either side of halftime to dismantle Da Nang 5-1 at home last time out, halting a woeful run of three league defeats. High scoring has been a common theme in Ho Chi Minh’s recent League 1 contests, with the last four in a row producing 6+ goals and both teams on the scoresheet. Delivering action from the get-go, each of those four games contained at least two first-half goals, highlighting the potential for a quick-fire start. But after conceding 4+ goals on their last two league travels (L2), the ‘Red Battleships’ are at risk of being on the receiving end of a goal-glutted affair.