Courtesy: Thanhnien News

Futsal Vietnam ramping up for SEA Games 2007

Vietnam football governing body VFF is working out measures to develop its national futsal team to prepare for the regional championships late this year, after heavy losses in the past competition.
In an effort to train a well-prepared team for the multi-sports Southeast Asian Games next December, the VFF is urgently organizing a futsal league in the country.

The league has been fixed to debut in Vietnam as of next Sunday with 12 domestic clubs of five-a-side squads, said the VFF.

Best players from the league will be gathered to set up the Vietnamese national team.

Futsal is in its initial stages of development in Vietnam, and the two coming tournaments – Southeast Asian Futsal Championship held in March in Bangkok and the Asian Futsal Champs in Macau in June – are regarded as opportune times to train the team to improve before entering the 24th SEA Games.

Twelve teams taking part in the this year’s league include Hanoi and HCMC each with two teams, Vinh Phuc, Danang, Quang Nam, Can Tho, Binh Thuan, Binh Duong, Tien Giang, and Ca Mau.

Slow start
Vietnamese futsal started international competition in 1999 in Singapore and returned home completely defeated.

Vietnam organized the Southeast Asian Futsal Champs in Ho Chi Minh City in 2005, but the team still finished disappointed with three losses in the group stage – going down 8-6 to Cambodia, stunned 6-3 by Indonesia, and bowing out 9-4 to Malaysia.

Time will tell of Vietnam’s achievements at the upcoming SEA Games in 2007.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com