Football

Thanh Hóa players celebrate their national championship victory. They are one of two VIetnamese representatives of the International Student Football Tournament 2025. Photo of organisers

HCM CITY — Thanh Hóa University of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be playing in the International Student Football Tournament 2025 after their 2-1 victory in the national championship, which closed on March 16 in HCM City.

Phạm Doãn Nguyện and Lê Văn Thức scored for Thanh Hóa University, before Nguyễn Văn Hải Quân narrowed the result for Đà Nẵng Sport University in the final match at the Tôn Đức Thắng University Stadium.

The win was also the ticket for Thanh Hóa University to qualify for the first international tournament for regional students, the THACO Cup.

The other Vietnamese team will be Tôn Đức Thắng University, the hosts of the tournament.

Four other university teams will be playing: the Life University of Cambodia, Lao University, Malaysian University and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore.

NTU are a powerful team in their local competition. They won the 2024 Singapore University Games (SUniG) trophy before taking the Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic Games (IVP) Games 2025.

Malaysian University are considered the favourite at this event, playing with a high calibre technique and showing good adaptability.

Lao University are a combination of players from the country's four strongest universities. Their school football has been well developed, producing players with impressive physical foundations, excellent ability and a simple yet dedicated playing style.

Life University will entertain spectators with their famed technical and skillful style. Their training facilities and preparation following South Korean football foundations will make them a team to watch in HCM City.

The tournament will be held from March 22-30 at the Tôn Đức Thắng University Stadium, with plenty of action on offer for supporters. VNS