HAGL faces another 'red alert,' risking relegation next season?

Having failed to secure a victory in the first seven rounds, HAGL faces the danger of further slipping when they welcome The Cong Viettel and Nam Dinh in the next two fixtures.

Following seven consecutive rounds, HAGL and Dong A Thanh Hoa remain the only two teams yet to experience a win. In the latest round, the Mountain Town team suffered a harsh 0-3 defeat to Hai Phong FC, officially dropping to the bottom of the standings with 3 points.

Nonetheless, the challenges are far from over for Coach Le Quang Trai's squad. In the next two rounds, HAGL will return home to face two very tough opponents: The Cong Viettel (round 8) and Thep Xanh Nam Dinh (round 9).

The Cong Viettel is currently the frontrunner for this season's championship. Under Coach Velizar Popov, the soldiers' team is maximizing their effectiveness, making them one of only three teams yet to suffer a defeat.

In their most recent encounter, HAGL defeated The Cong 2-1, but that was when they still had key players like Minh Vuong, Le Van Son, Chau Ngoc Quang, and Ly Duc. Currently, HAGL is composed mostly of inexperienced young players alongside a less impressive group of foreign recruits. This contrasts sharply with The Cong Viettel, which boasts many star players, quality foreign imports, and ambitions soaring higher than ever.

Similarly, in round 9, HAGL is unlikely to cause an upset when hosting the reigning champions at home. Although the Nam team has been struggling recently, their squad and quality still differ greatly from the hosts. Coupled with the pressures they face, it’s clear Nam Dinh will fight hard to secure a win and boost morale after a disappointing streak.

As for HAGL, despite being in a difficult situation, the Mountain Town club remains committed to the goal set at the start of the season: comprehensive youth development. This was reaffirmed by Coach Le Quang Trai once again at the latest press conference: "The club’s direction this season is to give young players opportunities, accepting the price to let them gain experience."

The V-League is entering a critical phase as battles for the title and relegation become clearer. If HAGL continues to perform like this without significant improvement, relegation to the First Division will only be a matter of time.

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