Thanh Nien News | Sports | Vietnam to test out skills in friendly match against Japan

Vietnam to test out skills in friendly match against Japan
Coach Alfred Riedl (R)
The Vietnamese national football team is set to stage a second warm-up game at the end of this month with Japanese leading club Jubilo Iwata as part of its preparations for Sea Games 23 in November.

“Jubilo Iwata will certainly be a tough challenge for Vietnam, but good,” said head coach Alfred Riedl.

A source from the Vietnam Football Federation said Yamaha Motors had also agreed to receive 10 Vietnamese U-18 footballers to study and train with Jubilo Iwata for a period of six months to a year.

The plan will be carried out in early 2006.

Authorities from the two sides have already reached an agreement to organize the friendly game at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium May 28.

The game will conveniently be held after Jubilo Iwata flies to Vietnam for its last Asian Champions League game against V-league champion Hoang Anh Gia Lai May 25.

Jubilo Iwata, owned by Yamaha Motors, is a strong team and rich in achievements.  The team was national J-League champion in 1997, 1999 and 2002 and Asian Cup champion in 1998 and 1999.

The Japanese side has promised to bring its top players Masashi Nakayama, Hiroshi Nanami, Kim Jin Kyu and Choi Yong Soo for the game.

Ticket prices for the game will range from 30,000 to 100,000 VND a ticket.  Vietnam Television will broadcast the game live on VTV3.

Earlier, Vietnam had a goalless draw with Czech Republic’s Slavia Praha team in a May 1 friendly game.

In other news, Austrian coach Riedl confirmed May 12 Vietnam would not take part in the pre-Sea Games 23 tournament in Thailand.  Instead, the team will have a training session in Austria.

“It is not necessary to attend the pre-Sea Games 23 event,” said coach Riedl.

(Reported by Lan Phuong – Translated by Minh Phat)
 
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Published: 13 May, 2005, 12:29:17 (GMT+7)
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