LookAtVietnam – Giant slayers Military Zone 4 have shocked the top-flight football championship over the last two weeks, but the team’s aggressive tactics are coming back to haunt them.

Last Sunday, the team felt the pressure with a heavy 5-2 loss to SHB Da Nang (Orange), blamed on weak defence. (Photo: VNN)

The newcomers came out of the blue with fierce play from a youthful squad, who are mostly soldiers. But the players’ ferocity is taking its toll, after five games the team have notched up two red cards and 18 yellow cards.

Last Sunday, the team felt the pressure with a heavy 5-2 loss to SHB Da Nang, blamed on weak defence.

Substitute defenders are the team’s Achilles’ heel, said team coach Vu Quang Bao.

“The substitutes are inexperienced against powerful rivals in the V-League. My guess is they caused out of the five losing goals in the last two games against Da Nang and Dong Tam Long An in the last two weeks.”

The coach said the team will recruit foreign defenders from the second leg of the championship this June.

Central defenders Truong Dinh Luat and Vu Trong Phu missed last Sunday’s game against Da Nang as they had received three yellow cards from four matches earlier.

The central Nghe An-based team, who took top place in the First Division Championship last year and jumped to the V-League, is seen as a poor investment among 14 premiership teams this year.

Poor funding

The team have been playing out of their own coffers this year while most other teams are sponsored by businesses.

The Military team, who are owned by Military Zone 4 Command, received a cash boost of several hundred million dong this year, but the sum is relatively small compared to clubs with corporate sponsorship.

The team just got a cash prize of VND50 million (US$2,800) for the win over Binh Duong, unlike Da Nang which has received VND750 million ($43,000) in cash prizes since this year’s V-league season began.

Military 4 have hired foreign players including Lazaro De Souza, Motta, Adbcio, Moses and Aminu Awwalu, who make up some of the best strikers and midfielders in the line-up.

Lazaro, the team’s major striker who scored 13 of 47 goals for the team after 24 games at the championship last year, has put his name in the list of top scorers with four goals from five games in the V-League.

More pain, no gain

Bao said the substitutes were no patch on the key defenders, who have been suspended for yellow cards.

“Most of our players are too aggressive. They commit unnecessary fouls against opponents. I can say the youngsters lacked skills and experience when they debuted at the premiership,” he said.

The team are still in danger of seeing more players suspended and there are still 19 V-League games to go.

Motta, Nguyen Anh Thang and Tran Son Ha, who have booked two yellow cards each so far, will miss a game if they get one more.

Referee Vu Bao Linh said he was sorry to see so many Military Zone 4 players being sent off, but his colleagues had no choice but to book them.

“They commit such serious foals they could cause other players’ injury,” he said.

“If they keep playing so aggressively, the team won’t have enough players to compete in the V-League.”

Last year, the team booked 10 red and 75 yellow cards out of 26 matches.

Team coach Va Quang Bao said he will try to calm the players ahead of the next game.

Military Zone 4, who rank 9th of 14 in V-League table, host top leading Nam Dinh in the sixth round at home turf on Sunday.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News