The chaotic SEA Games

Only 6 days left until the 33rd SEA Games begins with football. Host Thailand and many participating countries are in turmoil after Cambodia suddenly withdrew from football and 7 other sports, leading to the need to adjust the number of teams in the groups and the competition schedule.

Vietnam U22 team trains in Ba Ria to prepare for SEA Games 33 - Photo: ANH KHOA

In addition, the relocation of 10 events to Bangkok due to Songkhla being severely flooded by heavy rains and floods has forced Thailand to urgently search for and secure suitable alternative venues in the capital, especially for Group B of the men's football tournament, when it comes to the main competition field and the training grounds for the teams.

Adjusting men's football

On November 26, Cambodia suddenly announced its withdrawal from 8/21 registered sports for the 33rd SEA Games, including football. This forced host Thailand to quickly find a suitable solution for both men's and women's football.

Cambodia withdrew, leaving Group A of men's football with only two teams: U22 Thailand and U22 Timor Leste. Meanwhile, Group B (Vietnam's group) has three teams and Group C has four teams.

Similarly, Group A of women's football has only 3 teams: Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Group B has 4 teams. Therefore, Thailand must work with the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) and its member federations to get their opinions: keep the same groups, adjust or redraw.

Re-organizing the entire draw in men's football based on the remaining 9 teams is something no team wants because it disrupts the entire training plan.

Thai press reported on the afternoon of November 27 that after an urgent meeting chaired by Mr. Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn - Minister of Tourism and Sports of this country, the organizing committee decided to move U22 Singapore from group C to group A instead of U22 Cambodia.

Not only that, Group B will also play at Rajamangala National Stadium instead of Thammasat Stadium as initially announced. Because they will play at the same stadium, Group B's schedule will also have to be adjusted.

Specifically, the U22 Vietnam team will play against U22 Laos in the opening match at 4pm on December 3 instead of 6:30pm on December 4. The match between U22 Vietnam and U22 Malaysia will also be moved to 4pm instead of 6:30pm on December 11.

However, as of the evening of November 27, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Department of Sports and Physical Training said they had not received any official information from the 33rd SEA Games organizing committee about this change.

U22 Vietnam races against time

Not only having a headache with football, Thailand also has to face another problem that must be quickly completed. That is, each sports federation/association of this country must urgently search and build a new competition plan in Bangkok for the 10 sports that were moved up from Songkhla.

In just 2 short days after Thailand decided to change the competition venue from Songkhla to Bangkok, information about the men's soccer field in Group B was "chaotic".

Thai media initially reported that the new football venue for Group B would be Thammasat Stadium, about 50km from Bangkok. This was due to the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok hosting Group A, semi-finals and finals.

However, the Thai press also said that Rajamangala National Stadium was the chosen stadium.

"We only heard from the media that Group B will play at Rajamangala Stadium and that the match schedule of Group B will be changed, but we have not heard any official information from the organizing committee. Where is the training ground? There is no hotel yet. We can do almost nothing but wait for official information from the organizing committee before we can go to the scouting area to find accommodation and training ground for the team," a member of the U22 Vietnam team shared.

In fact, Rajamangala Stadium is not unfamiliar to the logistics team of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and some of the current U22 Vietnam players. Because in the second leg of the final of the ASEAN Cup 2024, the Vietnam team beat Thailand 3-2 to win the championship here.

The U22 Vietnam team is currently training in Ba Ria to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games. Until today (November 28), coach Kim Sang Sik only has 3 players Dinh Bac, Minh Phuc and Ly Duc after completing their time playing for the Hanoi Police Club in the AFC Champions League Two 2025 - 2026. The team only has two training sessions left in Ba Ria before finalizing the list of 23 players for the 33rd SEA Games.

While training to perfect their skills, U22 Vietnam also had to adjust to the new match schedule of the organizing committee. However, Mr. Kim still maintained high-intensity exercises to help the players maintain good physical condition.

But despite the impact of changing the competition venue, striker Thanh Nhan shared: "We have to overcome ourselves, improve every day to aim for the gold medal."

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NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ky-sea-games-roi-boi-20251128104022573.htm