After managing a 1-1 home draw against Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) last Saturday, SHB Da Nang will face HAGL again at 4.00pm this coming Saturday in Pleiku. 

SHB DN are likely to face difficulties due to a shortage of outstanding strikers, a significant decrease recently in the physical strength of key players, and a run of repeated basic mistakes.  In addition, they have terminated the contract of striker Gaston Merlo, whilst Bojan Mamic has yet to meet the requirements of the coaching board.  Added to this, SHB DN have found it very difficult to beat HAGL at the Pleiku Stadium in recent years.

SHB DN and HAGL players

HAGL will field their strongest squad with naturalised players Nguyen Hoang Helio and Doan Van Sakda, the strike duo of Felix O Ogbuke and Anjembe Timothy, and goalkeeper Bassey Akpan. 

According to some football experts, SHB DN need to carefully identify their rivals’ defensive and counter-attack strategies in order to vary their own attacking styles to be more effective.