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Safe pair of hands: Ha Noi T&T's national team goalie Duong Hong Son will be a key player for the capital city team when they meet Song Lam Nghe An in the National Super Cup next Sunday. — VNS File Photo |
The Hanoian team, who won the premier league in June, will play their long-term rivals and National Cup winners Nghe An in a widely anticipated match before hosting Hoa Phat Ha Noi in the opening game of the national championships on January 22.
T&T boast a string of stars including goalie Duong Hong Son, the 2008 player of the year, and captain Brazilian Cristiano Roland as well as maestro Le Hong Minh and Brazil's Cauce Benicio along with attacking midfielder Cao Sy Cuong.
Top striker Le Cong Vinh has yet to recover from a knee injury, but the team welcomes the services of newly-signed left winger Thach Bao Khanh from Thanh Hoa and striker Iuril from Ukraine.
"We have kept our key players who helped the club clinch the first trophy for a Hanoian team in 12 years. I expect Vinh to be back in action soon," said the club chairman, Nguyen Quoc Hoi.
Team coach Phan Thanh Hung has been watching the 24-year-old Iuril at the on-going Hoa Phat Football tournament before he is due to sign a contract next month.
However, Nghe An are not likely to go down without a fight and are planning on giving Ha Noi T&T a run for their money having just finished an intensive month of pre-season training.
They pose a serious attacking threat with the combination of Raiko Vidovic, Abdulrazak Ekpoki and Mitrovic Dalibor up front.
Nghe An go into the game full of confidence after defeating two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 1-0 in the National Cup final in August.
They also have the added incentive of winning the Super Cup for a fourth time.
Super Cup glory
The Super Cup winners will receive a VND150 million (US$7,000) cash prize, with the runners-up pocketing VND70 million ($3,300).
Former The Cong, or the Army team, won the first Super Cup in 1999. Nghe An took home the cup in 2000, 2001, and 2002. They were finally beaten by Hoang Anh-Gia Lai, who held the title for the next two years.
Binh Duong also grabbed the title twice.
This is the 12th year that the event will be organised by the Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper and the Viet Nam Football Federation. The 584 Group is the cup's sponsors. — VNS
