SHB Da Nang got their 2015 National Cup campaign underway with a 1-0 home win over Nam Dinh in the qualifying round last weekend, but were visibly below-par against the team currently lying second-from-bottom of V-league 2. 

During the match, SHB DN showed the crippling weaknesses in both defence and attack which they need to address sooner rather than later in order to perform better in the second part of the V-league season which starts this coming weekend.

Perhaps the most obvious weakness for SHB DN is their lack of skilled foreign strikers who play an important role in pursuing goals and creating successful attacks.

SHB DN’s Ngoc Thang with the ball

The domestic strike duo of Vu Phong and Ngoc Thang has so far not produced the perfect combination that the coaching board expected.  The 2 players were not good at controlling the ball in the air or taking advantage of any space their rivals left them to score.  As a result, the SHB DN midfielders did not pass the ball to the strike duo to give them a chance of threatening their opponents' goal.

In addition, local young players such as Hoang Quang, Anh Khoa and Quang Huy have yet to fully fill the gaps left by senior player Minh Phuong.

These factors seem to be the main reasons for SHB DN’s frequent loss of possession which often put them under pressure.

In attempting to improve their results, SHB DN have much to do, with a priority being to replace Melquiades Gomez and Anto Pejic when the upcoming transfer window reopens again.  In particular, coach Le Huynh Duc and his squad must do their utmost to prepare well for their upcoming matches with Sanna Khanh Hoa on 12 April, Can Tho on 19 April, Dong Thap on 25 April, and Quang Ninh on 2 May.