Vietnam's U23 football team. (Photo: Vietnam Football Federation)

At SEA Games 31, the men’s football teams from 10 countries are divided into groups A and B. U23 Vietnam will meet Indonesia in the opening match of Group A at the 20,000-seat Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province, on Friday. Group A includes host team Vietnam plus Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and East Timor. Group B includes Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore. Matches for the final round will be held at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on May 22.

Compared with the team at SEA Games 30 in 2019, Vietnam’s U23 team this year does not have many stars. In Group A, Vietnam  will confront 2 strong teams - Indonesia and Myanmar.

In preparation for SEA Games 31, Vietnam’s U23 team played friendly matches with the U20 team of South Korea with one draw and one win.

The Vietnamese team is training hard with their coaches in Phu Tho province. 20 players have been named to the official roster for the Games.

Football expert Tran Duy Ly said, "The coaches of Vietnam’s U23 team have made thorough preparations for the Games. The U23 team of 2022 includes young players with the best ability and the 3 most outstanding players of the national team.”

”Other teams in Southeast Asia are also very strong, thoroughly prepared, and are very determined. As the host team, Vietnam needs to do their best in training, tactics, and determination and exploit the host advantages of having home fans."

Vietnamese reporters and football fans are closely following preparations of the Vietnamese team and chief coach Park Hang Seo who has helped create breakthroughs in Vietnamese football development over the past few years. Vietnamese football has gained remarkable achievements in Southeast Asia and the qualifying rounds of the World Cup and at this Games the Vietnamese team is determined to successfully defend its crown.