HA NOI (VNS) — A thigh injury will prevent Tran Huu Dong Trieu from playing in the opening match of the Asian Football Confederation U19 Championship between Viet Nam and South Korea tomorrow.

The Vietnamese midfielder has yet to fully recover from the injury he sustained while training in HCM City last week.

Coach Guillaume Graechen said the injury was not serious, but it would be too dangerous for him to play as even minor contact with other players would make it worse.

The absence of Trieu, a key member of the team and the top choice of the coaching staff, will leave a hole in Viet Nam's defence.

Graechen revealed that Tran Anh Thi would take his place. — VNS