SEA Games  

Coaches of Group B in the 33rd SEA Games press conference. Their matches will begin on December 5 in Chonburi. Photo courtesy of VFF

BANGKOK — Việt Nam will begin their SEA Games title-defending campaign in the opening match, facing Malaysia, a rival respected by coach Mai Đức Chung, on December 5.

Việt Nam and Malaysia along with Myanmar and the Philippines are in Group B, promising a tough job for all as the latter two are powerhouses in the region.

Chung, the world's oldest national head coach, and other trainers took part in a pre-match press conference on the afternoon of December 4 in Chonburi.

"I don't consider Malaysia a weak team because they are improving quickly," said Chung about a team that sit 55 places lower than Việt Nam in the world ranking.

"In this tournament there is no weak team as all countries have strongly supported their squads in recent years. These efforts help narrow the gap between teams, leading to a more balanced level in Group B. 

"Vietnamese players are asked to focus on every single match and ensure our ultimate goal is still to reach the final."

In this campaign, some experienced players suffered injuries, so Chung gave chances to young ones who are expected to "sharpen their skills, show their abilities and grow for the future."

He said on his side, there was no star, but a united squad who were happy to return to Chonburi Stadium which witnessed Việt Nam's AFF Cup triumph six years ago. Chung said that beautiful memory would be a great "spiritual support" for Việt Nam who were aiming for a new goal this December.

Coach Joel Cornelli of Malaysia, meanwhile, said his side had carefully prepared for the tournament. Their friendly matches against Bangladesh showed encouraging progress, which really pleased him.

Meanwhile, Mark Torcaso of the Philippines said teams in Group B were all strong, but his players were ready for any rival.

Myanmar coach Uki Tetsuro brought his side to improve their technique in Japan for three weeks as one of the activities in preparation for the Games. Now, their job was to show their best in every match. VNS