Ninh Bình competes for V-League medals with pragmatism

From an explosive attacking style early in the season, Ninh Bình is transforming under coach Vũ Tiến Thành with a distinctly pragmatic approach. No longer overly flashy, but effectiveness and points are now the factors helping the club stay in the race for V-League medals.

If one only looks at the figure of 37 goals after 18 matches, many still think Ninh Bình is one of the most attractive attacking teams in the league. In reality, this team is only 4 goals behind the top club CAHN and maintains an efficiency of over 2 goals per match. But behind those impressive statistics, the face of Ninh Bình is clearly changing.

The arrival of coach Vũ Tiến Thành brings a different philosophy, more pragmatic and focused on results. The three most recent victories, from the National Cup to V-League, helped the ancient capital's team reach the semifinals and maintain a Top 3 position with 34 points. However, the way Ninh Bình earns points makes many people ponder.

Against PVF CAND, HAGL, and Becamex TP.HCM, Ninh Bình narrowly won with breath-taking scenarios. No longer dominant victories, instead there is a feeling of "near death," waiting until the final moments to decide the match. That is a clear sign showing this team has changed its approach.

The common point in those victories is the brilliance of domestic players, from Gia Hưng to Lê Văn Thuận. Notably, young midfielder Văn Thuận scored two decisive goals in the two most recent matches, directly bringing in 6 valuable points. In the context of foreign players declining, Văn Thuận, who joined the club mid-season, has emerged as an unexpected "savior."

That is also the biggest paradox of Ninh Bình. In theory, the club possesses many quality foreign players, but in practice relies on domestic players. Geovane Magno is a rare bright spot still maintaining his class. But the rest are disappointing.

Forward Fred Friday, who scored 7 goals in 11 matches for Hải Phòng, has yet to score any goals after 5 matches for Ninh Bình. Meanwhile, Gustavo has gone through a streak of 8 matches without scoring. This decline causes the team's attack to lose its sharpness like in the early season phase.

Ninh Bình scoring 9 goals in the last 5 matches under coach Vũ Tiến Thành is not a bad number, but still lower than early season. More importantly, creating opportunities has become more difficult, lacking breakthroughs. Even against bottom-group teams, Ninh Bình no longer has the ability to impose dominance.

However, from another perspective, this change is not entirely negative. V-League is a long-distance race, and in the decisive phase, effectiveness is always more important than beauty. Coach Vũ Tiến Thành understands this clearly and accepts trade-offs for stability.

With 34 points, ranked 3rd after 18 rounds, Ninh Bình still has a chance to compete for medals. The 4-point gap with Thể Công Viettel and 11 points with top club CAHN are not easy to close, but still within reach as the season has 8 rounds left.

The biggest challenge for Ninh Bình now is finding balance again. This team needs to improve offensive efficiency while maintaining solidity in defense. More importantly, foreign players must regain form to reduce pressure on domestic players.