LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam has a good chance to reach the semi-finals at the third Asian Indoor Games, the head coach of the Viet Nam men’s national futsal team,

In it to win it: Vietnamese national men’s futsal players practise during an ASEAN Football Federation Futsal Championships match. Viet Nam will play in the third Asian Indoor Games in HCM City by the end of this month.

“If all players are in-form at the time of competition, they can make it to the semi-final. Viet Nam can beat Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain to top Group C,” said Piemkum, who guided Viet Nam to the silver medal at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Championships in June this year.

The Malaysians have won all four encounters against Viet Nam in the past, but the homeside has made dramatic improvements recently and has the advantage of home soil – making it the possible favourite of the two.

“Viet Nam has improved a lot. I tell my players everyday to focus on their game regardless of whether they have a strong opponent or not,” said the 41-year-old coach, who also said he was keen to keep coaching the team.

The team has just been returned from a one-week training course in Japan and will continue training at Thanh Long Sports Centre.

“Everyone is comfortable and training hard to achieve a good result at AIG. We will do our best every game,” captain Ha Bao Minh said.

“Viet Nam has only had experience playing Malaysia and has never met Jordan or Bahrain before, so it is difficult to say anything in advance,” Minh added.

At 2007 AIG, the team beat Hong Kong 5-1 in the first match but lost to Uzbekistan and Japan to drop out in the group stage.

In women’s futsal, eight teams have been divided into two groups (A, B) with Viet Nam in a favourable draw in group A with Thailand, Malaysia and Jordan.

Thailand is the strongest team with two silver medals at the first and second AIG but Viet Nam should beat Malaysia and Jordan to win the group’s second semi-final ticket.

At AIG two years ago, the women players played very well and made it to the semi-final but had to settle for fourth place after losing to Uzbekistan in the last minute of the bronze match.

The women’s futsal team practised at Thanh Long Sport Centre in HCM City from September 14 under Thai coach Wanwong Somjit but is currently training at Thailand.

The AIG men’s futsal matches will be held at Phu Tho Stadium, District 11, from October 28 to November 7, while the women’s futsal will be at Tan Binh Gymnasium, Tan Binh district, from October 28 to November 6.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News