Striker Mac Hong Quan has been named as one of 10 young players to watch at the AFF Cup. — Photo vtv.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese striker Mac Hong Quan has been named as one of the top 10 under-23 players to watch at the coming ASEAN Football Federation-Suzuki Cup.

Quan's outstanding performance at the 17th Asian Games, held recently in South Korea, won him not only a slot in the national team, but also a place in the list of best young players of the Southeast Asian region.

John Duerden, an Asia-based football correspondent for The Guardian, BBC Radio and ESPN, discovers these youngsters who hope to get a chance to make an impression.

He wrote on the website www.fourfourtwo.com/sg, "The 22-year-old has a history of stepping it up when it comes to tournaments. Just last September, he starred as Viet Nam's U23 team thrashed Iran 4-1 at the Asian Games. His movement and ability to find space in dangerous areas was just too much for the opposition, surprised at the quality of the Vietnamese.

Perhaps starting his club career in the Czech Republic helped as the attacker plays with confidence and intelligence and physically, he likes to get in the faces of defenders."

The other players to watch at the tournament later this month are winger Faris Ramli of Singapore, midfielders Chanatip Songkrasan, Sarach Yooyen and Charyl Chappuis of Thailand and leftback Zubir Azmi and winger Farhan Roslan of Malaysia, as well as midfielder Evan Dimas of Indonesia, forward Kyaw Ko Ko of Myanmar and striker Soukaphone Vongchiengkham of Laos. — VNS