Some of the country’s top young football stars will do battle in Hanoi today.

Nguyen Quang Hai of Hanoi (left) and Luong Xuan Truong of HAGL (right). The two players competed for Viet Nam U23 team in the AFC U23 Championship in China in January. — Photo motthegioi.vn

All eyes will be on the match between Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) and Hanoi FC in the V.League 1 at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi today.

Previously, the match was postponed because of the State funeral of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on March 20-21.

The match will feature many members of the national under-23 team that finished second in the U23 Asian Football Confederation in China in January.

Hanoi FC are currently second in the table with two wins and one draw, while the mountainous side have one win and two draws to rank eighth.

If Hanoi win, they will take first place from Quang Ninh Coal.

Among the capital side’s seven national U23 players, midfielders Tran Dinh Trọng and Đỗ Duy Mạnh performed excellently as defensive midfielder, helping Viet Nam withstand heavy pressure in most of the team’s matches. They have featured in all three of Hanoi’s league games this season.

Meanwhile, among the six HAGL players who played for the U23 team, Vu Van Thanh and Nguyen Van Toan have played all 270 minutes for HAGL in the league this year. In a 3-2 win against Nam Dinh, striker Toan scored the opener.

Nguyen Phong Hong Duy and Luong Xuan Truong have also netted for HAGL, while midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai hasn’t scored any goals for Hanoi.  Hai was the hero of the U23 team as he scored five goals at the continental event.

According to former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh, Hanoi FC are more confident and energetic than HAGL.

“I think that young players of Hanoi play better. Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem combined the youth of the U23 players with veterans such as midfielder Pham Thanh Luong who won Golden Ball awards in 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2016 and striker Nguyen Van Quyet to create a strong team,” said Vinh.

“Despite having the support of technical director Chung Hea-seong, HAGL don’t have much tactical versatility,” Vinh added.

Vinh said the visitors have only a 30-40 per cent chance of winning.

“There are many factors for my comment. For example, in terms of weather, Hanoi is very dry and hot. It is not cool like in Pleiku City where HAGL play. Besides, Hanoi’s foreign players are more accomplished than HAGL. Ganiyu Bolayi Oseni of Hanoi is the league’s top scorer with three goals in three matches,” said Vinh.

HAGL have lost their four most recent matches against Hanoi in the capital. — VNS