Viet Nam prepare for LG Cup

The national U-23 football squad entered a training camp last Saturday in preparation for the LG Cup in HCM City, viewed as a good opportunity to get the team ready for the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in November.

Only 15 players presented themselves at the National Sports Training Centre 1. The remaining 11 will join the squad after completing the National U-21 Tournament”s qualifying rounds later this week. The team will only train together for ten days before the start of the International Football Tournament-LG Cup on September 20.

Following a one month end of season break, head coach Alfred Riedl focused the first two days of training on improving the players” fitness.

All the players looked comfortable with the light exercise and the new squad members took the chance to integrate themselves.

According to Riedl, the training will become progressively harder so that his players peak at the right time.

At the tournament, Viet Nam will play Bulgaria U-23s, Syria U-21s, including players who played at the recent World U-20 Football Championships 2005 in the Netherlands, and a student team from defending champions South Korea.

Viet Nam”s main rivals in the region will not compete at the LG Cup but the competition will be a good opportunity for the team, who will be keen to avenge losing in extra time to South Korea in last year”s final.

This year”s final will be played on September 24 at HCM City”s Thong Nhat Stadium and the winner will receive US$40,000. The organisers will also present awards to the fair-play team, the best player and the best goalkeeper

(VNS)