Vietnamese midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai (in red) vies for the ball in a match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers

According to deputy chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan, Vietnam will be sending a strong squad to compete at the AFF Cup 2020 scheduled to take place from October to December this year.

“We are the defending champions, so our image and reputation need to be maintained,” Tuan said. 

He went on that the fans love this tournament, and with the V.League 1 and V.League 2 schedule changes, it will allow Vietnam to send its best players.
 
Changing the schedules and format for the V.League 1 and V.League 2  after the COVID-19 pandemic is a calculated decision to help the national team prepare for successfully defending the AFF Cup and reaching the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup.
 
Both must be considered equally important, Tuan said, adding that head coach Park Hang-seo and his team will be busy selecting their best squad for the tournament.
 
Currently, Vietnam are top of Group G in World Cup qualification with 11 points after five matches. 

The team will visit Malaysia in October and a win over the team in second will help coach Park‘s contingent reach the final stage of the Asian qualifiers.

The following matches will be against Indonesia at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi and the United Arab Emirates away, both in November./.VNA

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