Women’s football team to train in Japan; International sepak takraw tourney opens in Thanh Hoa; Vietnam vs. Korea football friendly schedule changed; ‘Super marathon’ launched in Da Nang

The time was changed so that the Japanese Football Federation can organise some friendly matches with the Vietnamese team on November 10, 12 and 14.

After two weeks training in Tam Dao, the team has now returned to tactics training in the northern province of Ha Nam.

Before flying off to Japan, the team will take part in the International Women’s Football Open from October 16-23 in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The team’s half-back Nguyen Minh Nguyet will also be fit and able to compete at the tournament.

International sepak takraw tourney opens in Thanh Hoa

An international sepak takraw tournament, the Vietnam Open, kicked off in the central province of Thanh Hoa on October 2.

130 players from China , Japan , Laos , Malaysia , Thailand and Vietnam have been participating in the competition.

Apart from the national team, three teams from Hanoi, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ninh are also present.

Sepak takraw, a popular sport in southeast Asia, uses a hollow ball, traditionally made of rattan, which is passed over a net by opposing players, without the use of the hands and arms.

The players will compete in the men’s and women’s team and doubles events. The competition will last till October 7.

Vietnam vs. Korea football friendly schedule changed

South Korea’s Cultural Center in Vietnam has asked that a friendly between Vietnam’s U23s and South Korean club Chunnam Dragons be held on October 20 instead of 21.

Eighteen players of the South Korean club are expected to land in Hanoi on October 18 for the friendly at My Dinh Stadium in the capital.

Vietnam’s U23 squad has been busy recently.

They trained September 4-15 before traveling to Kunming, the capital of China’s mountainous Yunnan Province, to practice for another 10 days before returning home.

They have been under an intense regiment in the lead up to the 25th South East Asian Games, where they hope to take the gold medal this December in Laos.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he has been “pretty pleased with the U23 players’ performance.”

Int’l U21 matches moved to Ho Chi Minh City

The organizers of the International U21 Football Tournament decided Friday to move October 13 matches from Binh Duong’s Go Dau Stadium to Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.

The decision came after the organizers of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup requested that Go Dau Stadium not be used for two days before the AFC Cup semifinal first leg match between Binh Duong and Syrian club Al Karamah on October 15.

Thus, the International U21 Football Tournament’s Group B match between Vietnam’s U19s and China’s U21s and the Group A match between Vietnam’s U21s and Thailand’s U21s will be held at Thong Nhat at 03:30 p.m and 06:00 p.m respectively.

The other matches on October 9th and 11th and the semis and finals on the 16th and 18th will still take place at Go Dau as scheduled.

‘Super marathon’ launched in Da Nang

The 2009 Vietnam Super Marathon & Trek began in the central city of Da Nang on Thursday with 91 competitors from 20 countries setting off on the 91-kilometer, 3-day journey.

Contestants are now vying for the lead as the event takes them through in and out of Da Nang and Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue city provinces, including visits to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Hoi An, a historic trading port town, and the My Son Towers.

Organizers had to change the route and schedule of the race due to storm Ketsana, cutting one day off the original 4-day, 100-km competition.

On Thursday, the contestants ran 36km from Pham Van Dong Street in Da Nang to the Son Tra Peninsula, followed by a 35km race on Friday from Xuan Thieu Tourist Area in Lien Chieu District to Lang Co Town in Thua Thien Huw. The race finishes with a 20km run on Saturday from Furama Hotel in Da Nang’s Son Tra District to the Palm Garden Hotel in the town of Hoi An, Quang Nam Province.

Cars and cash for winners of Toyota VIP golf tournament

The Toyota Golf Tournament for the company’s club members and VIP customers will open at two courses with a total prize money over US$111,000.

The first competition will take place at Long Thanh Golf Course on October 17 in Dong Nai province and the second will be at the Phoenix Golf Course in Hoa Binh province on October 31.

This year’s special prize will be a Fortuner V car and for the hole-in-one a Camry 3.5Q.

Vietnam teams aim for Cambodian cup victories

Two Vietnamese football teams will vie for the Cambodia Royal Cup and a prize of US$20,000 over November 8-13. The runners-up will take US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Vissai Ninh Binh will compete at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hu Sen and Cambodian Football Federation chairman Sao Sokha.

They will play against the Cambodian and Lao U-23 teams.

The event aims to mark the 56th anniversary of Cambodia’s National Day.

PV