Gia Lai hope to restore pride
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Shoot: Gia Lai's Nguyen Dinh Viet takes a shot during a V-League match at Pleiku Stadium. The Central Highlands team meet Nghe An in the National Cup final in HCM City on Saturday. — VNS Photo Quang Thang |
HA NOI — Two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai will be looking to win their first trophy of the year when they meet Song Lam Nghe An in the National Football Cup final in HCM City on Saturday.
The Central Highlands team had a poor V-League season, finishing the year in disappointing seventh place out of 14.
However, winning the National Cup – the second biggest football event of the year – will go some way to restoring their pride.
The Gia Lai squad left for HCM City yesterday for three days of training ahead of their encounter with Song Lam Nghe An, who arrived in the city on Monday.
"We are ready for victory. We are in top form. We have a string of stars, who unfortunately did not come together perfectly in the national championship," Gia Lai's team manager Tran Van Minh told Viet Nam News yesterday.
"The national cup is the only title of the year that we haven't won since 2004. Gia Lai won the V-League twice in 2003 and 2004, but since then we have had little success," Minh said.
Absent from the team's line-up will be left winger Le Van Truong and midfielder Nguyen Thai Duong because of suspension. However, the team will be bolstered by the presence of Brazilian strikers Evaldo Goncalves and Tiago De Paula, and Thai-born midfielders Nirut Surasiang and Sakda Joemdee.
In the V-League, Gia Lai beat Nghe An 2-1 away before drawing goalless at home.
Central Song Lam Nghe An, who won the cup twice in 2001 and 2002, will be looking for good performances from 2003 Golden Ball award winner Pham Van Quyen and national defender Nguyen Huy Hoang.
Nghe An strengthened their line-up earlier this year by signing Nigerian Abdulrazak Ekpoki, Bosnian Rajko Vidovic and newly naturalised defender Helio.
Quyen, 26, is now back on top of his game after a five-year ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal in 2005.
"We don't have any worries regarding our team line-up. All our stars are on form and the team is eagerly looking forward to a tough game against Gia Lai. The two sides are old rivals, so there are no secrets between us," said Ho Van Chiem, Nghe An's managing director
"I would say both teams have a 50-50 chance of winning. We will do our best to try and score first and put our rivals on the defensive."
The winner will walk away with VND350 million (US$18,000) in prize money. — VNS