Football

HÀ NỘI — Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) will compete in the V.League 1 with 28 players born in the 1990s.

HAGL are considered the youngest squad in the event which will begin on March 10.

The goalie, Phạm Văn Tiến, is the team’s oldest player at 24, while striker Đinh Thanh Bình, 19, is the youngest.

In this year’s event, HAGL registered two foreign players: midfielder Kim Jin-seo of South Korea and striker Romario Gordon of Jamaica. The two players were born in 1994.  They are the same age as defenders Lê Đức Lương and Nguyễn Tăng Tiến.

HAGL have eight players born in 1995 including midfielders Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, Lương Xuân Trường and strikers Nguyễn Công Phượng; nine players in 1996 such as midfielders Vũ Văn Thanh and Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy and five footballers in 1997 including midfielder Phan Thanh Hậu and striker Trần Thanh Sơn.

Coach Dương Minh Ninh of HAGL is rather young, too, at 43 years old. His assistants are Trịnh Duy Quang, 45, and Nguyễn Văn Đàn, 44.

HAGL are expected to shine at the national premier league as their key player, midfielder Nguyễn Tuấn Anh has recovered from injury. Trường has returned home after playing for K League side Gangwon FC. Trường, Phượng, Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Thanh and Duy are eager to take part in the league after contributing to the football team’s success at the AFC U23 Championship in China in January in which Việt Nam won the silver medal for the first time.

HAGL’s president Đoàn Nguyên Đức is very confident that his team has a shot at taking the event’s trophy for the first time.

“HAGL own many members of national team. Technical director Chung Hae-soung aims to earn a high place in this year’s event and triumph in the next year’s tournament. But when the chance comes to us, we will make the most of it to win,” said Đức.

As scheduled, HAGL will meet former champions Becamex Bình Dương on March 10 at Pleiku Stadium in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

If HAGL win the national top flight league, they will become the youngest champions in the Vietnamese football history.

“HAGL are well prepared and ready for the event. My players are very hardworking. I hope many fans will support us,” said Chung. — VNS