Nam Dinh - Ratchaburi match schedule today: Determined to win the opening match of the Asian Cup C2

The match with Ratchaburi (Thailand) at 7:15 p.m. today, September 17, is an opportunity for Nam Dinh Club to have a great start in AFC Champions League 2.

After winning the second V-League championship in history, Nam Dinh Club returned to the Asian arena (AFC Champions League 2) with greater ambitions.

Nam Dinh Club is full of determination in the opening match

Photo: NAM DINH CLUB

Last season, coach Vu Hong Viet and his team stopped at the round of 16 against Sanfrecce Hiroshima (lost 0-7 after 2 matches) in their first time in the big Asian sea. With the accumulated experience, Nam Dinh Club is determined to make a difference in their return to the AFC Champions League.

Nam Dinh FC's immediate goal is to get past the group stage. In Group F, the Vietnamese representative will face Gamba Osaka, Ratchaburi and Eastern. Except for Gamba Osaka, which is exceptionally strong and likely to take the top spot, the other two opponents, Ratchaburi and Eastern, are on the same level as the Vietnamese representative, similar to the two opponents Lee Man and Tampines Rovers in the group stage last season. If they win all four matches against the average teams, Nam Dinh FC will almost certainly make it to the round of 16.

Therefore, the opening match against Ratchaburi tonight is an opportunity for Nam Dinh Club to quickly gain an advantage in the race for tickets. Compared to rival Bangkok United, whom Nam Dinh Club lost to last season, Ratchaburi is at a lower level. The Thai representative only ranked fourth in the Thai-League 2024 - 2025, 18 points behind the champion team Buriram. Ratchaburi is also inexperienced in the AFC Champions League, not outstanding in both domestic and foreign players. The Thai-League team is valued at 4.35 million euros (about 114 billion VND), while Nam Dinh Club is valued at 9.81 million euros (about 258 billion VND), double that of its opponent.

However, the basis for believing in a victory for Nam Dinh FC at Thien Truong Stadium lies in the impressive quality of foreign players of the Southern team this season, along with good preparation in terms of both physical strength and playing style.

European stars shine?

The key to making the difference for teams (whether weak or strong) in AFC Champions League 2 is always the foreign players. Last season, both Sharjah (UAE) and Lion City Sailors (Singapore) reached the final thanks to good foreign players. Strong teams from Thailand and Malaysia such as Buriram United and Johor Darul Ta'zim also went far in AFC Champions League Elite thanks to European-class foreign players.

Therefore, Nam Dinh FC has spent millions of dollars to bring in high-class foreign players. We can mention Kyle Hudlin, a 2.06 m tall striker who used to play in the English First Division; goalkeeper Caique (1.98 m tall) who used to play for the U.20 Brazil team and has been in the Samba football world for many years; center-back Mitchel Dijks who used to play for Ajax Amsterdam, Bologna (Italy) and Norwich (England) is also an ideal addition to the defense. In addition, there are Mahmoud Eid, Njabulo Blom or Percy Tau, all of whom are players valued at billions of dong.

With a very strong foreign squad last season such as Caio Cesar (midfielder in the V-League best squad), Romulo da Silva, Marlos Brenner, Nam Dinh FC currently has 11 foreign players. Coach Vu Hong Viet can field an all-Western squad to crush Ratchaburi's resistance.

However, having many stars does not automatically mean victory. Nam Dinh FC needs to have a reasonable and careful strategy to approach the match, and at the same time possess a clear coordination plan. More than half of Nam Dinh's foreign players have not officially played since the beginning of the tournament (because they are only registered for AFC Champions League 2), so will they definitely "heat up" from the first match?

That is the problem Mr. Vu Hong Viet needs to find a solution. As long as they play to their full potential, Nam Dinh FC will keep the victory at Thien Truong Stadium.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-thi-dau-nam-dinh-ratchaburi-hom-nay-quyet-thang-tran-ra-quan-cup-c2-chau-a-185250916203539843.htm