Hoa Lu students celebrate their win.

HCM CITY (VNS) — Hoa Lu and Nguyen Thi Dinh, the two schools representing HCM City, are the last participants to compete at the first football festival for U13 students from all over the country.

Hoa Lu beat Nguyen Van To 8-7 in a penalty shootout yesterday, after the two sides drew 2-2 in the semi-final match of HCM City qualifiers that lured 16 teams to compete, following a 7-a-side rule in 25 minutes each half.

In another match, Nguyen Thi Dinh won 13-1 over Hoang Van Thu.

The two teams will join 10 other teams, who advanced from five other qualifications, in the final on June 3-7 in Ha Noi.

A team of top players will be selected to tour Japan.

The festival, co-organised by Yamaha Motor Viet Nam, the Thieu Nien Tien Phong (Young Pioneers) newspaper, and The Thao 24h Joinstock Company, is part of a programme titled: For the Future of Viet Nam Football.

According to the organisers, the tournament is aimed at not just discovering football talents but also guide students by providing them with training, personality as well as team building exercises, and fair-play competing activities. — VNS