Young Vietnamese players are training hard to qualify for the 2012 Under-16 Asian Football Championship.

The footballers will play qualifying matches in Vientiane, against Japan, Cambodia, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, and hosts Laos, from September 12-22.

The Vietnamese team will also participate in the 2011 U-16 ASEAN Football Federation competition from July 7-20, also in Vientiane.

Vietnam will play against Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines in Group B while hosts Laos will clash with Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and East Timor in Group A.

In 2009, Vietnamese U-16s qualified for the 2010 U-16 Asian Football Championship after beating hosts Thailand, drawing with the Republic of Korea, and losing to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who qualified for the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Championship in Mexico.