AFF U23 Championship: More players to be sent to Vietnam team

A training session of Vietnam's U23 team. (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam have sufficient players for the semi-final match against Timor Leste at the ongoing 2022 AFF U23 Championship, head coach Dinh The Nam said at a press conference on February 23.

The game will kick off at 7pm on February 24.

Seven more Vietnamese players tested positive for COVID-19 on February 23 morning. The squad had only 10 players and faced risks of player shortage for the upcoming semifinal match.

Four more players, including one goalkeeper, two defenders and one forward, have been called up and will travel to Cambodia by road on February 24 morning. 

Despite various challenges, all members of the team are determined to show their best, Nam said. 

The latest call-ups will be the last reinforcements for Vietnam, as each team is allowed to make 10 substitutions for players contracting with COVID-19.

Vietnam are to have at least 14 players and be eligible for the game. According to the championship rules, a team needs at least 13 footballers for a match.

Earlier, six additional players were called up for the match against Thailand on February 22, which Vietnam beat the regional rivals 1-0./.

VNA