Vietnam's U23 star earns significant points, Thanh Hoa coach speaks frankly about one thing

Coach Mai Xuan Hop praised Ngoc My extensively after the decisive goal that helped Thanh Hoa defeat PVF-CAND, while remaining cautious as the V.League relegation battle remains unpredictable.

The narrow 1-0 victory over PVF-CAND not only secured Thanh Hoa Club three valuable points but also held special significance in this season's tense relegation battle. With this result, the Thanh region team widened the gap with the bottom group to 6 points, thereby temporarily creating necessary breathing space after a long period under heavy pressure.

Nevertheless, Coach Mai Xuan Hop maintained absolute caution when discussing the upcoming journey. The Thanh Hoa strategist clearly understands that this season's V.League still has many variables, and even a single misstep could erase all advantages. After the match, he could not hide his emotion when recalling the difficult period the entire team endured.

“In the recent period, Thanh Hoa team faced extreme difficulties, and this year's relegation battle is also very fierce. For today's victory, I would like to thank the entire team and over 4 million Thanh Hoa residents who have always stood by us, encouraging and motivating the players to overcome each difficult phase. Today's joy is a release of all the pressure the team has faced recently,” Coach Mai Xuan Hop shared.

Even though the gap with the bottom group has widened, this strategist affirmed he cannot allow himself to be optimistic too early. According to him, the relegation battle only truly ends when the season officially concludes. “I cannot be optimistic yet, because football is unpredictable. Our upcoming journey remains very difficult. I believe only when the V.League situation concludes can we be certain. Of course, today's victory helps us breathe a bit easier regarding the point gap with the chasing group”, he emphasized.

In the absence of key striker Rimario, Thanh Hoa still found a new hero in Ngoc My – the player who scored the decisive winning goal. Coach Mai Xuan Hop particularly praised his student after this player endured significant psychological pressure since returning from the AFC U23 Championship.

“After returning from the AFC U23 Championship, the team encountered difficulties, and Ngoc My himself also faced psychological issues. He bore great pressure because he wanted to score goals to help his hometown team overcome the tough period but hadn't succeeded. However, in training sessions over the past week, My has been very proactive in rediscovering his space, goal-scoring feeling, and finishing well. Today's result is a deserved reward for My”, Coach Mai Xuan Hop stated. Concluding the press conference, he also did not forget to express gratitude to Thanh region fans – those who always stand alongside the team during the season's toughest phase.

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Vietnam U23 star scores, Thanh Hoa dramatically defeats PVF-CAND