Football 

HẢI PHÒNG — Vietnamese players must top the group stage to take an automatic slot in the finals of the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup.

Việt Nam will host Group A, which will play from September 21 to 29 at the Lạch Tray Stadium in Hải Phòng.

The team will play Bhutan on September 23, Guam on September 25, Bangladesh on September 27 and rival Syria two days later.

During a recent meeting with the team in Hà Nội, Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) Vice President Trần Anh Tú encouraged the young players and assigned them a mission.

Tú said that in recent years, Việt Nam have always secured slots in all junior football competitions of the AFC. It was a key target for the national football governing body to build and promote Việt Nam, with an ultimate goal of reaching the upper levels of play in Asia and eventually around the world.

VFF spent a lot of resources on creating the best conditions for its teams at international training camps and competitions to improve their skills ahead of official international tournaments.

"The U20 team are no different. Players have to give their best to earn a place in the finals," said Tú.

“Setting this goal is not a matter of achievement, but more importantly, when participating in the finals, players will have the opportunity to compete with top teams, through which great progress can be made."

The team began training in mid-August in Hà Nội before going on a training course in Japan. They also played in a recent friendly match with a Russian U20 team.  

In a response to Tú, coaches and players promised to deliver their highest performance to complete the mission.

Head coach Hứa Hiền Vinh said his team encountered some difficulties due to the weather during the training period for the qualifiers. Some players' attendance was affected by the recent typhoon, but the coach said that the whole team are ready for the tournament, and have the advantage of being the hosts.

"We were forced to make changes in our plan in the context of Typhoon Yagi, but our goal remains unchanged. We will achieve the best result in every match, eyeing a victory at the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup," he said.

Goalkeeper Phạm Đình Hải said all of the players are working hard in training and look forward to a competitive tournament, and that they are determined to be among the finalists.

The 45 teams were divided into 10 groups in the qualifiers. The 10 group winners and five best second-place teams will advance to the finals, with China scheduled to host the tournament.

In Group A, Syria are the strongest team, as they are currently ranked 93rd in the world, followed by Việt Nam at No. 115. These two sides are considered to be rivals for the top position, with their encounter on September 29 being called the group's 'final'.

Guam and Bhutan landed in Hải Phòng on September 16. Việt Nam followed a day later. The rest will check in on September 19. Coaches and players will take part in the press briefing on September 21. — VNS