The 13th Thanh Nien-sponsored U21 National Football Tournament gets underway in Khanh Hoa and Dong Nai provinces this afternoon with the first qualifying matches in groups D and E.

Group E is particularly strong as the first three teams have reached the finals in the past few years. As for Can Tho and Vinh Long, they will be striving to prove how well they have trained their young players.

Speaking at a press conference at the Dong Nai Broadcasting Station Tuesday, Nguyen Van Long, who chairs the Group E organizing committee, said the tournament was well-known for its quality.

“As the Group E organizers, we will be doing out best to select an outstanding representative for the finals in Binh Duong next month,” Long said.

HCMC Club coach Nguyen Phuc Nguyen Chuong said the standard of football was dropping in Ho Chi Minh City, so his team would be trying to regain some of the city’s past reputation.

“We are not as strong as we were last year but we will try to be top of the group and win a berth in the finals,” Chuong said.

Groups A, B, C and F will get the ball rolling on Friday in Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Gia Lai and Tien Giang.

The six group winners together with defending champions Da Nang and finals hosts Binh Duong will compete in the quarterfinals at Go Dau Stadium in Binh Duong Province from September 17. The final is scheduled for September 27.

Afterwards, the best players of the tournament will be chosen to represent Vietnam in the third Thanh Nien-sponsored U21 International Football Tournament in October, also in Binh Duong.

Reported by Quang Huy - Van Phong