HÀ NỘI – Coach Trương Việt Hoàng will lead Hải Phòng on a trip to play in the capital city against Hà Nội T&T at the Hàng Đẫy Stadium this Sunday.

The former national midfielder appreciated the hosts who have found their winning streak but confirmed his determination to achieve a positive result.

Hải Phòng are on top of the league winning all their matches in eight rounds. Another win or draw will help the team to set a record in national football.

“Hải Phòng have the best defence at present. We have suffered fewer goal losses than any other team. However, in the match ahead we will have to compete against super powerful strikers and we have to work out a plan to block them,” Hoàng said, referring to Gonzalo Damian Marronkle and Hoàng Vũ Samson of the hosts, who have between them scored 10 goals.

“We will have to focus every second and will bring at least one point home,” Hoàng said. He will have his best line-up for the match when midfielder Quốc Trung returns after he had been side-lined.

Hà Nội T&T on the other hand are in high spirits after three wins in a row. Coach Chu Đình Nghiêm hoped his team would do the difficult job that eight previous clubs could not – defeat Hải Phòng.

Last year’s runners-up, they have always been arch-rivals to Hải Phòng in previous seasons. In their 10 meets, Hải Phòng could only pocket one draw while losing nine.

The FLC Thanh Hóa versus Sông Lam Nghệ An match is another one to watch this weekend.

Thanh Hóa showed their ambitions with their big shopping budget before the tournament and welcomed three talented players from Sông Lam Nghệ An such as Ngô Hoàng Thịnh, Hoàng Văn Bình and Trần Đình Đồng.

Đồng played a key role in last week’s match against Hoàng Anh Gia Lai to push his team to second place in the ranking.

The team is home to foreign forwards Omar Faye and Ivan Firer who scored seven of the 16 goals.

On other side, Sông Lam Nghệ An are struggling to escape away from lower part of the table. The former champions are at No 11 with two wins and three draw only.

Known as one of the national football hubs, Sông Lam Nghệ An’s personally trained strikers failed to score. Among their eight goals to date, six belonged to Nigerian Odah Marshal.

Last week they had a disappointing draw against Long An who are second from the bottom. It was the third consecutive match that they did not win.

In Bình Dương Province, reigning champions Becamex Bình Dương will host Hoàng Anh Gia Lai.

The home side’s striker Lê Công Vinh, who finished his goal drought with a winner in an AFC Champions League match on Wednesday, is expected to shine. However in tomorrow’s match he will not have the best support as at least four key teammates will not be playing due to injuries.

Bottom-team Đồng Tháp are the third one to change their coach this season.

After their poor result, coach Phạm Công Lộc was replaced by national coaching assistant Trần Công Minh just days ahead of round nine.

It is the third time former national defender Minh has taken charge of the home team. His return is expected to save Đồng Tháp from the red light position. Đồng Tháp will play host Long An. Both sides are candidates for relegation.

“My team is at a difficult stage but chances are available for us because the tournament is on just one fourth of its journey,” Minh said.

“I have talked with Lộc (who is now the team’s technical director) to find a solution for us,” he said.

In Quảng Ninh, Quảng Ninh Coal will receive Sài Gòn FC with coach Phan Thanh Hùng tries to keep three points for the hosts.

Hùng said Sài Gòn FC are a team of both potential and experienced players who could make the match hard for the hosts. But he said he understood Sài Gòn very well and was confident about a win.

Quảng Ninh are at No 7 while Sài Gòn, who did not lose three of its recent matches, are at No 3. Elsewhere, Quảng Nam will entertain SHB Đà Nẵng, and Sanna Khánh Hòa will play Cần Thơ. – VNS