Football

Vietnamese players training in March. The SEA Games defending champions have been drawn in Group B for the Phnom Penh event next month. — Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam have been drawn with arch-rivals Thailand in the Group B of the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in a rematch of last year's final.

The draw on April 5 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has pitted the sides in Group B alongside Malaysia, Singapore and Laos.

Việt Nam's last meeting with Thailand was the SEA Games final match which saw Việt Nam taking the silverware after a 1-0 win.

Nhâm Mạnh Dũng scored the only goal of the match with a superb nod at the 83rd minutes.

In Group A, the hosts, the other seed alongside Việt Nam, will play Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Timor Leste.

The men's football will be kick off on April 29, six days before the Games' opening ceremony.

Group A teams will play in the Morodok Techo Stadium, while Group B actions are in Prince Stadium.

The two best teams of each group will advance to the semi-finals on May 13 and the final will be held on May 16.

In this year's Games, Cambodia regulated the age of registration for men's football players and players over 22 years old cannot participate in the event. Teams can only register players born on or after January 1, 2001.

Việt Nam will be managed by coach Philippe Troussier who has only been in charge for two months.

The Frenchman is tasked with guiding Việt Nam to the final of the SEA Games.

SEA Games' reigning champions Việt Nam will play in Group A.

Prior to the men's draw, the women's draw was conducted.

Defending champion Việt Nam are in difficult Group A with the Southeast Asian winners the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Group B features Thailand, Singapore, Laos and Cambodia.

Held at the RSN and the RCAF stadiums, matches will begin on May 5. Like the men's system, the top two squads will advance to the last four. The final will be held on May 15.

Last May, Việt Nam beat Thailand 1-0 thanks to captain Huỳnh Như's goal in the 59th minute.

Việt Nam have been the strongest team in the region with seven times winning gold medal in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2019 and 2022.

Thailand are the second best with five times, and no other team has even tasted regional triumph. — VNS