National team prepare for friendly matches

HA NOI — Coach Phan Thanh Hung announced a list of 23 players on the national team to begin training in the capital city in preparation for three friendly matches.

The team comprises of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, 10 midfielders and two strikers.

Players from the top three teams in the V-League take up more than half of the team. There are four footballers from champions SHB Da Nang, six from second-placed club Ha Noi T&T and three from third-placed squad Sai Gon Xuan Thanh.

The list has attracted the attention of fans when three new names who haven't played for the national team before.

They are Ninh Binh's midfielder Nguyen Gia Tu, midfielder Pham Nguyen Sa from SHB Da Nang and Ha Noi T&T's defender Nguyen Quoc Long.

Hung has also called up veteran players such as defenders Nguyen Van Bien of Ha Noi T&T and Dao Van Phong of Khanh Hoa, goalkeepers Duong Hong Son of Ha Noi T&T and Bui Tan Truong of Sai Gon Xuan Thanh.

Footballers Pham Thanh Luong of Ha Noi FC and Le Tan Tai of Khanh Hoa, who are considered to be the country's best midfielders at this time, are also in the team.

Hung also placed his confidence in strikers Le Cong Vinh of Ha Noi FC and Nguyen Quang Hai of Navibank Sai Gon.

The players will attend a training course from September 4-23 in Ha Noi before playing three friendly matches.

The team will leave Ha Noi for Malaysia to compete against the Southeast Asian defending champion in Kuala Lumpur on September 9. Then they will play two matches against Indonesia, one in Indonesia on September 15 and one on their home turf on September 22. — VNS