Before the Quarterfinals of the National Cup: Surprises are unlikely

Examining the quarterfinal pairings in the National Cup, a significant difference in the teams' capabilities is evident.

The earliest quarterfinal of the National Cup takes place on March 18 at Chi Lang Stadium between SHB Da Nang and Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. Despite facing many difficulties in the relegation battle in V.League, the home team demonstrated strong determination by defeating SLNA on their own turf in Vinh in the previous round, thus fueling hopes for a deep run in the cup tournament.

On the side of Nam Dinh, the team from Nam city also struggled early in the season, even falling to the bottom of the table at one point. However, the return of coach Vu Hong Viet has helped them gradually regain their identity, with a recent streak of three consecutive victories, giving them a slight edge in this away match.

On March 20, the second quarterfinal occurs at Thong Nhat Stadium between CAHN and Truong Tuoi Dong Nai. A notable point is that CAHN can only use one foreign player due to facing a lower-tier team, which somewhat diminishes their usual advantage compared to their V.League matches.

Meanwhile, Dong Nai is displaying very impressive form with a quality squad of domestic players. They successively defeated Becamex TP.HCM and Hong Linh Ha Tinh to reach the quarterfinals, so they have solid grounds to create a surprise against a higher-rated opponent.

The remaining two matches are both held on March 21. Ninh Binh FC faces PVF-CAND in a context where both teams lack good form and have changed coaches. Ninh Binh was once highly rated but is experiencing a streak of five matches without a win, making this match a crucial opportunity for them to regain confidence before the break.

In the final pairing, The Cong Viettel clashes with Bac Ninh FC at Hang Day Stadium. Viettel is maintaining impressive form with four consecutive victories and boasts many national team players, so they are rated higher. However, Bac Ninh – despite being a First Division newcomer – is also showing clear progress and ready to pose a significant challenge for their opponent.

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