HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will present certificates of merit to the national U23 squad for their success at the ongoing Asian championship in China.
The players would receive certificates of merit for their outstanding performance during five matches as well as 10 officials and managers, including head of the Viet Nam delegation, coaches, technical director, interpreter and doctors; they will receive certificates for their contribution to the team’s success.
Phuc also proposed to President Tran Dai Quang to present a first-class Labour Medal to the U23 side and three third-class Labour Medals to head coach Park Hang-seo, midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai and goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung for the excellent contribution at the tournament.
Under Park, Viet Nam ranked second in Group D with four points. They defeated Iraq in the quarter-finals and Qatar in the semi-finals becoming the first Southeast Asian country to enter the final round of the championship. Viet Nam will vie for the trophy against Uzbekistan tomorrow.
Hai scored four goals out of seven for Viet Nam, including the only one in Viet Nam’s 1-0 win over Australia in the group stage, which played a decisive role in pushing the team to second position.
Dung, meanwhile, was a hero at the goalmouth of Viet Nam. He saved four penalties in five matches, in which three were from a penalty shootouts in the quarter-final and semi-final games leading to Viet Nam’s victories.
Meet the fans
Viet Nam’s national U23 team will arrive home in a special aircraft on January 28, according to the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF).
Viet Nam will face Uzbekistan in the final match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship in China on January 27.
There they will have a short parade by a two-storey bus at the airport.
“We have discussed many plans. The parade, which was proposed by VFF, will be held. But due to the weather conditions and security issue, the team will only parade for 1km from the airport to greet fans. They will then take a normal bus to reach the Ha Noi centre,” said Nguyen Thai Binh, chief of the office of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
This will be followed by a ceremony in their honour at the My Dinh National Stadium at 6pm. The ceremony will last until midnight and will provide free entry to fans. — VNS