Preview – Group D: Vietnam v Kuwait

With Uzbekistan and Malaysia also in the group, a win for either side will give them an early advantage in the race for a quarter-final spot with the tournament also serving as the qualifier for the Paris Olympic Games.

Head coach Hoang Anh Tuan is expecting his side to deliver despite Vietnam having one of the youngest squads in the tournament.

“Our squad is one of the youngest in the tournament, and they are the future of Vietnam football,” said Hoang.

“I spoke with the players, telling them this is a big challenge for them – as a national team and professional players. This is a chance for them to play against big teams and experience many different kinds of football. I told them to focus and give everything they have.

“We need to respect all the teams, and focus on giving a good performance and getting experience for the future.”

Hoang, in acknowledging both the importance and difficulty of securing an opening day win, expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and readiness.

“The first match for every team is not going to be easy, but we have completed our preparation and are focused for the match against Kuwait. We can’t talk about the results now, we are just waiting for the next 24 hours to see how we’re going to perform. And hope that we can perform well.”

Kuwait head coach Emilio Peixe was equally excited with the opportunity for his young players to compete at a high level.

“We are very happy to have this opportunity to fight against these big teams, who have a lot of experience in this competition,” said Peixe. “So for us, it’s a good opportunity to gain experience and develop our players.

“We’ve had a plan for over a year and a half now. This competition for the young players is to prepare them for the future. In football, everybody wants to win, so we will try to be competitive in all games, and do our best.”

Peixe acknowledged the strength and history of the Vietnamese team in the competition and is prepared for a tough match.

“Vietnam is a strong team. We know that Vietnam changed their coach not too long ago, but their playstyle is still the same, they are a strong team. The boys are excited and we are prepared to be competitive, and ready to show Kuwait football to Asia. I know it’s going to be a tough game, but I want the boys to enjoy the game.”