This October sees Ho Chi Minh City host its third major international futsal tournament in many years, as the best club teams from the ASEAN region meet to battle once again at the Phu Tho indoor stadium in HCMC.
After the success of both the 2014 AFC Futsal Championship (won by Japan) and the 2017 AFC Futsal Club Championship (won by Thailand’s Chonburi Bluewave), which saw crowds upwards of 3,600 in attendance, Vietnamese fans will once again get the opportunity to see the best futsal players from the region. Phu Tho Stadium will actually be hosting the tournament for the third time, having previously hosted in both 2009 and 2010.
The tournament also doubles as qualification for the 2018 AFC Futsal Championship with the first- and second-place teams in each of the two groups qualifying for the finals in Taipei next year.
Thailand goes into the tournament as runaway favorites, having won an incredible 12 of 13 previous tournaments, with only Indonesia breaking their string of dominance back in 2010 at this very stadium (Thailand actually opted not to play in the tournament). Star man and futsal legend Suphawut Thueanklang, the top scorer at the 2016 AFC Futsal Championships, will look to add to his already impressive individual trophy haul as Thailand strives to qualify through a difficult Group B with Malaysia, Timor-Leste and Laos all out to score an upset against the ASEAN giants.
The hosts - and second-favorites - Vietnam will be boosted by not only an enthusiastic home crowd, but also the ongoing growth and success of the Vietnam Futsal League, whose 2017 edition was won by Thai Son Nam, the team providing the majority of the players on the tight-knit Vietnam side. New coach Miguel Rodrigo, who replaced his compatriot Bruno Garcia in July of this year, is doing his best to instill a completely new style in the team and recently took an opportunity in a friendly competition in China to debut three new players.
The head of the Vietnam delegation, Tran Anh Tu, told Nguoi Lao Dong: “The new players received very positive reviews from coach Rodrigo and the team promises to have a chance to assert itself more in the AFF Futsal Championship 2017 in HCMC.”
Miguel, who led the team at last month’s Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan, will want to improve upon their quarter-final appearance, and with most fans expecting the team to reach the finals, the pressure is already building on the new coach.
Vietnam are the top seed in Group A and will face-off against the following teams:
v Philippines 27/10, 19:30
v Indonesia 28/10, 19:30
v Brunei 29/10, 19:00
v Myanmar 30/10, 19:00
The semi-finals and finals will be played on November 1 and 3. All games will be played at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium from October 26-November 3. A full schedule can be found here. Entry for all games is free; arrive early to ensure you get a seat for the Vietnam games.
[Photos via Bong Da Plus]
