"It’s hard for the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to invite international teams to Vietnam at this time because of the Covid-19 pandemic," U19 head coach Philippe Troussier told the press after watching a V. League 2 play-off game in Nha Trang in central Vietnam on Monday.

U19 Vietnam (in red) plays U19 Qatar in a friendly match on September 17, 2018.

"But with the effort of the VFF, we will fly to Qatar and play a friendly with them next year because they will be a good test for us before we go to Uzbekistan for the AFC U19 Championship."

The team will fly to Qatar in mid-February, train there and play the friendly and fly directly to Uzbekistan for the tournament from March 3 to 20.

Troussier has identified 13 players and the upcoming National U21 Tournament will be an opportunity for him to finalize his squad.

"I must keep an eye on the players that are already on my list to see who are performing well and who is not to find a replacement as soon as possible," he said.

The U21 event will be played in Nha Trang from November 23.

Vietnam’s U19 team have played Qatar once before in a friendly in 2018 and lost 1-4.

Three Vietnamese women footballers to play in Portugal

Portugal's Lank FC has recruited Vietnamese striker Huynh Nhu, midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung and forward Pham Hai Yen.

Domestic football to return in September

When domestic football resumes in September all players will have to take Covid-19 tests.

French 1998 football World Cup champions to play friendly in Vietnam

Members of the 1998 World Cup winning team would be among former French footballers to play a friendly match in Vietnam next year.

Portuguese club pursue two female Vietnamese footballers

Lank FC, a newly formed women’s football club from Portugal, are in talks to sign Vietnamese striker Huynh Nhu and midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung.

Park Hang-seo honoured for contributions to Vietnamese football

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) held a ceremony in Hanoi on August 27 to present the second-class Labour Order, a noble award of the Vietnamese Party and State, to head coach Park Hang-seo of the Vietnam men’s national football team.

Source: VnExpress