U19 Vietnam aim for SEA championship title

The national team expect to win the trophy of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U19 Youth Championship to be held in Vietnam from September 5-13.

The goal was revealed by Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan on August 26.

However, Tuan said it is no easy task for Vietnam as they will clash with U19 Australia and U19 Japan in the group of death.

Although U19 Australia lost 1-5 to U19 Vietnam at the recent U21 Thanh Nien Cup, they are our archrivals, said the former VFF General Secretary, warning there is no room for complacency.

Young Vietnamese players are training in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai. They will fly to Hanoi on September 3 and take on Australia two days later.

Masters set for chess world champs

Viet Nam will participate in the first World Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Federation Tournament from August 29-31 in Berlin, Germany.

Coach Nguyen Thanh Tung said Viet Nam would send their five masters, including former Asian champion Ngo Thi Lan Huong, to the first ever team event where they have targeted winning a gold medal.

There will be 15 countries vying in Berlin. Apart from Viet Nam, other powerhouses are China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Vietnamese will join the Asian championships in China after the German competition.

Quan to play for Quang Nam

Overseas-based Vietnamese player Mac Hong Quan has joined Quang Nam FC after leaving Hung Vuong An Giang that have been relegated to V-League 2.

Quan, who is a member of the national U23 team that will compete in the upcoming Asian Games in South Korea, will wear Quang Nam's jersey for two years.

His contract with Quang Nam FC will be signed soon as both sides have agreed to all terms and conditions.

Quan earlier played for An Giang under a three-month contract and failed to help the team stay with the V-League.

Quang Nam hope to lure more players including a foreigner from An Giang.

U19 women finish runners-up

Viet Nam lost 3-5 to hosts Thailand in a penalty shoot-out in the final of the ASEAN Football Federation Under-19 Women's Championship in Bangkok yesterday.

The game went to penalties after the teams finished locked 0-0 result after extra time at the Rajamangala Stadium.

Thailand made no mistake from the spot with their opening five kicks, leaving Viet Nam to finish runners-up.

Myanmar finished third after beating Singapore 5-0 in the playoff match earlier yesterday.

Head coach Win Myint Thwin said that he was satisfied with the performance even, though they did not pile on the goals as they had done previously.

In other football news, Suleiman Oladoja scored the only goal during Vissai Ninh Binh's 1-0 win over hosts Kitchee in Hong Kong yesterday during their AFC Cup quarter-final second leg match.

The win was not enough for Ninh Binh, who went out 3-4 on aggregate.

Former V-League champions Ha Noi T&T played Arbil of Iraq at a neutral ground in Lebanon in a late match yesterday.