Defeated by HAGL, Da Nang's coach unexpectedly mentioned Vietnam U23

Following the 0-1 defeat to HAGL, coach Le Duc Tuan stated that the extended pause to serve Vietnam U23 affected Da Nang FC’s match tempo.

The 0-1 defeat against HAGL in the 12th round of the 2025/26 V-League further pushed Da Nang FC into a difficult position on the league table. After the match, coach Le Duc Tuan candidly pointed out the reasons why the Han River team has yet to improve their performance, including the factor of the prolonged break to serve Vietnam U23 tournaments.

The loss in Pleiku on the evening of February 1 left Da Nang at the bottom of the table with 7 points, making them the only team yet to taste victory this season. The gap to the safety zone widened to 2 points, increasing pressure on coach Le Duc Tuan’s squad in the upcoming part of the season.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, coach Le Duc Tuan said that Da Nang players started with good spirit but failed to maintain the necessary composure. He stated: “The players went onto the field with good spirit but were a bit impatient. There hasn’t been many official matches to test the connection between new and old players. Some newcomers still feel overwhelmed. We need more time and matches to build real cohesion.”

Assessing the overall gameplay, Da Nang’s coach said his team was not completely outplayed by HAGL. According to him, the result was mostly decided by a particular moment, rather than Da Nang being dominated throughout the full 90 minutes. Nevertheless, he admitted the whole team needs to work harder and more aggressively to change the situation.

Referring to the nearly two-month break in the V-League to accommodate SEA Games 33 and the 2026 U23 Asian Championship, coach Le Duc Tuan said this clearly impacted the players’ match feel. “The long break caused players to lose their playing rhythm. Although we trained regularly and played friendly matches, the nature of an official match is very different. This is obviously a disadvantage for the clubs,”he analyzed.

However, coach Le Duc Tuan also emphasized a positive perspective since the Vietnam U23 tournaments bring overall success to national football. He affirmed: “In return, we have good results from the Vietnam U23 team. Personally, I remain confident and always support the players. Da Nang’s players also have good spirit, and I believe if we keep working hard, positive results will come soon.”