The team will face defending champions Thailand in Group B, alongsideIndonesia, Cambodia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines.
Hosts Malaysia, hoping to win the gold medal on home soil after the lasttime clinching the title in the 2011 SEA Games, will be confident ofadvancing to the semi-finals after being drawn with 2015 SEA Games silvermedallists Myanmar, Singapore, Laos and Brunei in Group A.
“Vietnam are in the group of six teams, so we have to play five matches in thequalifying round, a game more than the teams in Group A. I think that weshouldn’t care about which group we play in. The thing to do is to train,prepare and be ready to face any rivals. It is the most important thing,” coachNguyen Huu Thang of Vietnam said.
The SEA Games women’s football competition will be contested in a round-robinformat with Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in thefray.
The men’s and women’s futsal competitions will see the participation ofThailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia. Both events will also be ina round-robin format.
The SEA Games 2017 will take place in Kuala Lumpur from August 14 to 29.-VNA