Vietnam among lowest ranked teams in SEA Games football

By Bao Lam   March 20, 2019 | 12:12 am PT
Vietnam among lowest ranked teams in SEA Games football
Vietnam at the AFF Cup 2018, where they won the title. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong
Despite their recent successes, Vietnam have been grouped among the lowest ranking teams for the draw for the 2019 SEA Games football event.

Host Philippines announced the seedings with Vietnam placed along with Laos, Brunei, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.

The seedings are based on the performances in the previous SEA Games.

In Malaysia in 2017 Vietnam crashed out in the group stage despite winning against the Philippines, Cambodia and Timor-Leste after drawing with Indonesia and losing badly to Thailand.

In the first pot are defending champions Thailand and the Philippines, in the second are Malaysia and Indonesia and in the third are Myanmar and Singapore.

As a result, Vietnam could be drawn in a tough group with teams like Thailand and Indonesia.

Vietnamese football has been on a wonderful run in the last year or so, making the last four of the Asian Games, winning the AFF Cup and entering the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup.

In the past SEA Games football teams were restricted to under-22 players, but the rules have been changed to allow each team to have two players aged above 22. This means key senior players like Nguyen Cong Phuong, Dang Van Lam and Que Ngoc Hai could play this year.

The games will take place from November 30 to December 11.

For the first time they will feature e-sports and obstacle course racing.

 
 
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