A draw ceremony for the 25th South East Asian Games in Vientiane Monday pitted Vietnam’s U-23 footballers against reigning champs Thailand, Malaysia, East Timor and Cambodia in Group A.

Most sportswriters have said that Vietnam got lucky with the draw as they will not have to face Thailand in the semifinals if they make it that far.

However, national and U23 team coach Henrique Calisto said the Vietnamese players would have to play one match more than the teams in Group B as Group A had one more team. He warned the extra play could exhaust his players make them more prone to injury.

Thailand’s U23 team assistant coach Kiatisuk Senamuang said the Vietnamese players face the risk of being warn out in the group stage by powerhouses Thailand and Malaysia.

He also said the matches against “unknown” East Timor and Cambodia would not be easy.

Only five teams are competing in the women’s football category: Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos. They will play a round-robin competition without a group stage.

The men’s football matches will kick off on December 3 and finish two weeks later while the women’s contest will take place from December 4 untill 14.

Source: Thanh Nien