U22 Vietnam changed the stadium to play nearly 2,000 km away at SEA Games 33

The 33rd SEA Games organizing committee continued to surprise the regional football world by once again changing the venue for the men's football competition, forcing U22 Vietnam to urgently adjust its preparation plan for the goal of winning the gold medal.

In November, U22 Vietnam will have 2 friendly matches to prepare for SEA Games 33.

According to the original schedule for men's football at the 33rd SEA Games, Group A (with host Thailand) will compete in Songkhla, Group B (including U22 Vietnam, Malaysia and Laos) will take place in Chiang Mai, and Group C (Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore) will compete in Bangkok.

However, recently the organizing committee decided to bring group A back to Bangkok to compete at Rajamangala - the largest stadium in Thailand with a capacity of more than 51,000 spectators, for convenience in organization and broadcasting.

This adjustment has led to a series of changes in the remaining groups. According to confirmation from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Group B of U22 Vietnam will be moved to Tinsulanon Stadium (Songkhla), more than 900 km from the capital Bangkok and nearly 1,700 km further than the original planned location in Chiang Mai.

Group C was swapped to compete in Chiang Mai.

Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team's match schedule has also been adjusted. The opening match against Laos U22 will be played a day earlier, from December 5 to December 4, while the decisive match for the top spot with Malaysia will remain on December 11.

U22 Vietnam is scheduled to leave for Thailand on December 2, just two days before the opening match. To prepare for the 33rd SEA Games, the team will have two important training sessions.

From November 10 to 19, U22 Vietnam will participate in the Panda Cup in China, facing strong U22 opponents from China, Uzbekistan and Korea. After the tournament, the team will continue to train in Ba Ria - Ho Chi Minh City from November 23 to 29, before moving to Thailand.

The constant change of competition venues is considered a big challenge for the teams, especially U22 Vietnam - the team is still in the process of perfecting its playing style and personnel before entering the SEA Games 33 campaign.

Source: https://znews.vn/u22-viet-nam-doi-san-thi-dau-cach-gan-2000-km-tai-sea-games-33-post1600332.html