U23s South Korean training camp ahead of Asian U23 football champs
The Vietnam's U23 football team left Hanoi at 12.30am on Saturday for a training session in the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Vietnam's U23 football team at Noi Bai Airport at midnight on December 13 to fly to South Korea. Photo by Tien Phong
The team will have a nine-day training camp in the home country of coach Park Hang-seo starting on December 13.
The U22 players had only two days rest after winning the SEA Games 30 gold medal on December 10.
Coach Park Hang-seo at the airport
The squad for the AFC U23 Championship in January 2020 announced by coach Park Hang-seo on December 12 includes three goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 11 midfielders and four strikers.
They include most of the SEA Games winners except for midfielders Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Trong Hoang who are over the age limit and defender Doan Van Hau who has returned to his Dutch club SC Heerenveen.
Captain Nguyen Quang Hai is surrounded by fans at the airport
Park also recalled midfielders Tran Dinh Trong and Nguyen Trong Dai who missed key tournaments due to injury, among other players.
The U23s will finish the training session on December 22 and return to Vietnam. They then will have a week-long rest for the New Year festival before leaving for the Asian competition in Thailand on January 8-26.
Vietnam are in Group D with North Korea, Jordan and the UAE.
There are 16 teams in four groups. The top four will earn a berth at the Tokyo Olympics in the summer.
In the 2018 tournament, Vietnam finished second, taking home a historic silver medal after losing 1-2 to Uzbekistan in the final.
Leave your comment on this story