On October 18, Khatoco Khanh Hoa will play away at Long An Stadium in Round 3 of the Sacombank National First Division 2026/27. Following their impressive performance in the previous round, coach Vo Dinh Tan and his team have good reason to aim for all 3 points, despite having to play on away turf.
In Round 2, the 19-8 Nha Trang Stadium witnessed the most surprising victory since the start of the season when host Khatoco Khanh Hoa routed People's Police 4-1. The latter is regarded as a top contender for the championship title. The home side put on a convincing display, highlighted by the impressive debut of foreign recruit Oleksandr Kurakin. Right in his first official appearance for Khatoco Khanh Hoa this season, the 20-year-old Ukrainian forward netted a brace against the formidable opponent, catching Vietnamese football fans by surprise. Notably, the opening goal was scored by Oleksandr Kurakin in the very first minute of the match.
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| The Khatoco Khanh Hoa team secured a convincing home victory in Round 2. |
Not only that, the intelligent play, agile movement, and situational awareness of this young player have prompted many to draw comparisons and raise expectations about whether he could become a second "Xuan Son"—a foreign player who might be naturalized and wear the Vietnam national team jersey in the future. That is a question only time can answer. However, Oleksandr Kurakin has clearly brought a fresh breeze to an attack previously viewed as Khatoco Khanh Hoa's weak link in past seasons.
After 2 unbeaten rounds, with 1 win and 1 draw, earning 4 points and temporarily sitting 3rd in the standings, Khatoco Khanh Hoa is causing a surprise in the top-table race, which was predicted to be a battle between teams that invested heavily in their squads. The season has only just begun, and it is still too early to make further predictions. Yet, with what they have shown, Khatoco Khanh Hoa's players can inspire hopes of a flourishing season for fans of the coastal city's football team.
Conversely, Long An enters the 2026/27 season aiming to improve their results after struggling to avoid relegation last season. The team has added a series of quality assets, including Brazilian foreign striker Romario Alves alongside experienced players such as midfielder Hoang Minh Tam, and forwards Cu Nguyen Khanh and Ha Vu Em. LAlthough the squad of the Long An home team has been significantly upgraded, reality shows that coach Trinh Van Hau and his players have not performed as expected. After 2 rounds, Long An have only earned 1 point from a draw against Hue, a team rated weaker in the league. Foreign striker Romario Alves has yet to leave a clear mark in attack, leaving the home fans not truly reassured.
In round 3, Long An will continue to have home advantage when hosting Khatoco Khanh Hoa. Compared to the visitors, Long An are rated lower and are likely to choose a tight defensive style of play, waiting for counter-attacking opportunities. The question is whether Khatoco Khanh Hoa can maintain their momentum when playing away from home after what they showed in recent rounds. History indicates that the Agarwood team often have a good start but sometimes lack consistency after impressive victories. However, this season, Khatoco Khanh Hoa have a reliable anchor in attack with Oleksandr Kurakin.
If the young Ukrainian foreign player continues his explosive form, Truong Quoc Minh maintains his agility, and the team's spirit of solidarity continues to be demonstrated as in the home match at 19-8 Nha Trang Stadium, Khatoco Khanh Hoa are entirely capable of taking all 3 points against Long An. If that happens, the race at the top of the National First Division standings this season will feature an intriguing dark horse named Khatoco Khanh Hoa.
P.H
