VietNamNet Bridge – The annual International Women’s Football Tournament - Coal-Minerals Cup will kick off next week in Quang Ninh Province, with four teams participating.

The HCM City team (left) will bring their best players to Quang Ninh. (Photo: VNN)

However, according to the organising board, the Coal and Minerals team, who are the national championship silver medallists, HCM City and two visiting teams will make it a competitive tournament.

“Chinese Taipei will send their rejuvenated national team here. In their lineup are eight players who took part in the Asian Women’s Football Championships’ qualifier in HCM City recently,” said Deputy Head of the organising board Truong Hai Tung, who also heads the Viet Nam Football Federation’s women’s football section.

“Hubei are one of strongest team coming from China. They are playing in the national league, which gathers the 16 best teams. Many of their young members played in local youth tournaments,” Tung said.

He added that Vietnamese football fans had a chance to witness Hubei players’ skills since three of them are national team members and two others played for the national youth team in the HCM City competition.

Host team Coal and Minerals expressed their determination to win the title this year and said they will play all of their national players, who captured the silver medal at the ASEAN Women’s Football Championship last month.

In addition to Nhieu Thuy Linh, Nguyen Thi Mai Lan, Le Thi Thuong and Bui Thi Phuong, the team coaching board decided to borrow two other national strikers Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet and Nguyen Thi Nga from the Ha Noi club to help ensure victory.

The HCM City team will bring their best players to Quang Ninh, including goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh, three-time Golden Ball winner Doan Thi Kim Chi and goalmaker Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai.

The four teams will play in round robin format. The team who collects the most points will enjoy gold medals and VND50 million (US$2,900). The runners-up will get VND30 million and VND20 million, respectively.

The organisers will also give prizes for best player, best scorer, best goalkeeper and a team award for sportsmanship.

To ensure fair play, an international referee from Myanmar has been appointed by the Asian Football Confederation. She will co-operate with six local colleagues.

The opening ceremony and match at Cua Ong Stadium will be aired live at 2pm on November 13 on VTV3. The final match is scheduled for November 20.

(Source: Viet Nam News)