Vietnam’s U23 football team and head coach Park Hang-seo arrive at the Gimhae International Airport on December 14. (Photo: Newsis)

The squad for the AFC U23 Championship in January 2020 announced by coach Park Hang-seo on December 12 comprise three goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 11 midfielders and four strikers.

They include most of the SEA Games winners except for midfielders Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Trong Hoang, who are over the age limit and defender Doan Van Hau who has returned to his Dutch club SC Heerenveen.

Park also recalled midfielders Tran Dinh Trong and Nguyen Trong Dai, who missed key tournaments due to injury, among other players.

The team will have two friendly matches with Korean squads during this training session.

They will come back home on December 22 and gather in Ho Chi Minh City for further training before leaving for Thailand for the final round of the AFC U23 Championship, which is set to take place from January 8 to 26 next year across stadiums in Thailand.

Vietnam are in Group D with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Jordan and the UAE.

The three best teams of the tournament, along with Japan, will represent Asia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. If hosts Japan are among the wines, the fourth-placed team will earn the last Olympic spot.

In the 2018 U23 championship tournament, Vietnam finished second, taking home a historic silver medal after losing 1-2 to Uzbekistan in the final./.VNA

VN young players to practise in S Korea for Asian U23 champs

The U22 players will have no time to rest after their SEA Games victory. South Korean coach Park Hang-seo on Thursday announced a list of 28 players who will prepare for the January AFC U23 Championship.