U23 players are training in Kunshan, China. They are the first of six Vietnamese teams to compete at the Asian championships in 2018 (Photo: VFF) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam’s football teams had an outstanding 2017with six national teams qualifying for Asian championships and this will proveto be their achievement as well as challenge in 2018.
The six teams include senior squads of men, women and futsal and three youngcrews of U-23, U-19 and U-16.
The U-23s will be the first ones to take part in the Asian FootballConfederation (AFC) Championship, which will be held from January 9 in China.
They are now in the final stages in Kunshan, where the temperature is around 40degrees Celsius.
Facing their big rivals - the Republic of Korea, Australia and Syria — Vietnam hasalmost no opportunity to win the next round.
However, coach Park Hang-seo and his players are very confident and hope tohave a breakthrough.
Vietnam will start their tourney on January 10 against reigning runners-up Republicof Korea.
At the 2016 tournament, Vietnam, under Japanese coach Toshiya Miura, was senthome early after three losses.
Coach Miguel Rodrigo and his 20 players are training hard in HCM City toprepare for the AFC Futsal Championship next month.
The best national players will travel to Japan for their intensive course laterthis month before moving to Chinese Taipei for the tournament.
The biennial event gathers 16 of the strongest teams who compete in four groupswith the two best ones advancing to the knock-out stage.
Vietnam are in Group A with Malaysia, Bahrain and the hosts.
Four semi-finalists and the team that ranks fifth at the championships willgrab their berths at the 2020 World Cup.
In 2016, Vietnam was one of the four best teams of Asia. Together with Japan,Iran and Thailand they competed at the Colombia World Cup in October 2016.
The national women’s football team had a tough task at the AFC Women’s Cup asthe draw put them in the same group with powerhouses Japan, the Republic of Koreaand Australia in April.
The team is currently in a three-month summon with coach Mai Duc Chung in Hanoi.
“We all know that our rivals are very strong. However, in football sometimesthe strongest lose to the weakest. We are clear that we are a weaker team thanall of them, but it helps us to practice and compete without pressure. Ibelieve this will make us play well and who knows who will win, because thereis a little luck for everyone,” said Chung.
After days in Hanoi, Chung and his players will test with local clubs in threefriendly matches before moving to China for a four-side internationaltournament in China later this month.
[International, domestic sports events await Vietnam in 2018]
In late March, they will have a two-week training course and friendlies inGermany before flying to Jordan for their Asian Cup.
In 2014, Vietnam missed their World Cup ticket after losing 1-2 to Thailand ina play-off match although they played on home turf.
Vietnam’s U-16 finished second in the 18th edition AFC U-16 Championshipqualifier’s group round and confirmed their finals’ berth last September.
They will join 15 other teams in the finals, which will take place inMalaysia between September 20 and October 7.
Vietnam are in the pot 2 of seeding teams together with Japan, the Republic ofKorea and Oman.
The top four teams in the tournament will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cupnext year as the Asian representatives.
It will be Vietnam’s eighth time at the continental tournament. The first timewas in 2000, which also saw their best result — fourth position.
The biennial AFC U-19 Championship will take place in Indonesia witha total of 16 participants.
Vietnam won all of their three matches at the qualification to take their berthin the finals.
With their outstanding performance, the Vietnamese, for the first time inhistory, are in the pot 1 group together with defending champions Japan,runners-up Saudi Arabia, and the hosts.
The tournament will be organised in October.
The top four teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-20 WorldCup as the AFC representatives.
In the previous seven times that they participated, Vietnam’s best result wassecond place after the group round in 2016 and they grabbed a berth in the 2017Republic of Korean U-20 World Cup.
As usual, the ASEAN Football Federation Cup always receives supporters’attention. This year, the Cup will be the most important event of the year withthe participation of the national men’s squad.
“Despite a regional tournament, AFF Cup is one of the most-watched events amongVietnamese football lovers. It is a tournament to value the development of theteam compared with teams in the ASEAN zone. The Vietnam Football Federation hasmade a careful plan for the event,” said VFF Vice President Tran Quoc Tuan.
At the Cup, apart from arch-rival Thailand, who are the defending champions, Vietnamhave to defeat runners-up Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia, the teams in thesame level, if they want to win again.
This year, the national team with many members of the U-23 squad under KoreanPark, are expected to make a break.
A match at the 2019 Asian Cup against Jordan in March and the Asian U-23Championships are considered crucial to prepare for the AFF Cup. VFF sets atarget for a slot in the final match.
“We have been absent in the final since 2010. This time we need to work well. Ibelieve that with long and careful preparation, players will be in their bestform for the tournament,” said Tuan.
Vietnam once won the Cup in 2008.-VNA
VNA
