The Vietnam’s U-23 national football team is set to encounter Kuwait at 12:00 GMT Monday at the four-team football tournament to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the Thang Long – Hanoi.
Two others teams partaking the Thang Long – Hanoi Anniversary Cup include U-23 North Korea and U-23 Australia.
“Hosts Vietnam considers the tourney a warming-up chance to prepare for Southeast Asian Suzuki Cup (in December),” said the Portuguese-born coach Henrique Calisto.
“We don’t target at winning the event at any price, but to prepare ourselves becoming best for the regional competition in three months.”
The North Korean side is the favorite of tournament, with many players competing at the World Cup finals in June this year as Pak Chol Jin, Nam Song Chol, Kim Yong Jun, Pak Nam Chol, Kim Kum Il, and Choe Kum Chol.
“Physical fitness and playing spirit makes South Korea distinctive from other participants,” said player Choe Myong Ho.
The side has shown their strict discipline spirit in Hanoi with the whole team going to meals and training courses at fixed time.
North Korean coach Jo Tong Sop said his side don’t consider themselves candidates of the championship, just promise to play at their best strength as professionals.
The event will be held from September 20-24 in Hanoi with the four teams competing in single round robin format with the champions to pocket US$20,000. Two runners-up get $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.
