The Vietnamese national squad is the current champion of Southeast Asia but only five players of the official team will participate in the match against Greek Olympiakos this evening. Olympiakos hasn’t brought its strongest team to Vietnam either.

The Vietnamese squad in a drilling to prepare for the friendly match against Olympiakos.

In this friendly match, neither host nor guest has set victory as a goal. But they both have mentioned an important mission nonetheless: surpassing themselves.

Five months ago, the Vietnamese national team was honoured at My Dinh National Stadium as the new champion of Southeast Asia. Today, also on this playground, the team will play against the first foreign guest since AFF 2008.

Coach Henrique Calisto confirmed that Vietnam will play its style, like it showed in the AFF Cup 2008. The playing style will not change, but the players will be different. This worries Calisto.

The coach will have only five members of the championship team: Viet Cuong, Phuoc Tu, Tan Tai, Cong Vinh and Viet Thang. The remaining footballers will be new faces.

After three days, with five practices, the team hasn’t attained the necessary harmony, according to Calisto. The coach will have to adjust the team’s playing style during the match this evening.

“Lacking some pillars, that is Olympiakos’ problem, but our strength will not be affected,” stated coach Ernesto Velverde after the team’s practice at My Dinh Stadium last night.

As a professional football team, Olympiakos players have an advantage over Vietnamese rivals in both size and skills.

It is hoped that the Vietnamese squad will play at their best, though defeating Olympiakos is a big ask.

Speaking before the match, Calisto said: “This is a special moment for the Vietnamese national squad. Though facing many difficulties, we have to try to overcome them. I hope my players will play with a high sense of determination but not forget that this is a friendly match and the current team doesn’t have many members of the championship team from the AFF Cup 2008.”

The Greek coach, Ernesto Valverde, said: “It is a good chance and a special occasion for Olympiakos to play against the Vietnamese squad at My Dinh. Though we don’t have the best team, with my current team and good facilities, I think Olympiakos and the Vietnamese team will play an attractive match.”

Expected starters:

Vietnam: Dinh Hoang La, Viet Cuong, Minh Duc, Phuoc Tu, Ngoc Anh, Dinh Hoang Max, Minh Chau, Tan Tai, Thanh Luong, Viet Thang, Cong Vinh.

Olympiakos: Antonios Nikopolidis, Marcel Domi, Vasileios Torosidis, Michal Ryszard Zewlakow, Anastasios Pantos, Alexandro Silva de Sousa, Ioannis Papadopoulos, Oscar Javier Gonzalez Marcos, Diogo Luis Santos, Matthew Anthony Derbyshire.

Chi Lam