U22 Vietnam to play China again after SEA Games 32; MU welcomes Eriksen back to play

The Chinese Football Association invites U22 Vietnam to participate in the Panda Cup international tournament next June; U22 Thailand is unlikely to have the strongest squad at the SEA Games; Vietnam's goal of keeping the No. 1 position in athletics at the 32nd SEA Games,... are the main contents of this morning's sports news summary (April 8).

U22 Vietnam to rematch with China after SEA Games 32

At the invitation of the Chinese Football Association, the Vietnam Football Federation has decided to send the Vietnam U22 team to participate in the Panda Cup 2023 international tournament, held in Chengdu, China next June, after the 32nd SEA Games.

This is a youth football tournament held annually since 2014. After 2 years of interruption due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the Panda Cup was restarted with the participation of 4 U22 teams, including host China, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

As planned, Panda Cup 2023 will be held in June, with the expected match dates being June 14, 16 and 18. This time also coincides with the FIFA Days schedule, so coach Philippe Troussier can gather quality players for the Vietnam U22 team.

With the above high-quality participants, Panda Cup 2023 is considered a very useful practice for the Vietnam U22 team in the preparation process for the 2024 U23 Asian Qualifiers and the 19th Asian Games which will take place in September 2023.

U22 Thailand unlikely to have the strongest squad at SEA Games

Because SEA Games 32 does not overlap with FIFA Days and the Thai League 1 is still in progress, it is difficult for U22 Thailand to bring their strongest team to compete in Cambodia.

Suphanat Mueanta, who has a training schedule in Europe, will almost certainly not be able to return in time for the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: FAT

According to Siam Sport , the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and the Thai League organizing committee have a policy of giving more priority to tournaments at the Asian level and above. Clubs will support the U23 team more when the FAT needs to call up players to compete in the U23 Asian qualifiers or the Olympic qualifiers.

Therefore, to have players for the upcoming SEA Games, FAT is negotiating with each club to release players.

The U22 Thailand coaching staff is also preparing for a difficult scenario of calling this player to compete in Cambodia. Coach Issara Sritaro will call up players according to three options: definitely participating, possibly participating, and unlikely participating. "We expect to have 7 to 8 players from the main squad that just played in the 2023 Doha Cup," Coach Issara told Thairath .

Thailand hopes to call up key players such as defenders Chatmongkol Rueangthanarot, Jonathan Khemdee, midfielders Airfan Doloh, Channarong Promsrikaew or striker Teerasak Poeiphimai to the SEA Games squad. However, number one star Suphanat Mueanta - the striker currently playing for Buriram United - has a 99% chance of being absent. "Suphanat will go to Europe to train after the end of Thai League 1," the Thailand U22 coach explained.

Thailand U22 coach will face difficulties with personnel at SEA Games 32.

However, the Thai U22 coach said he had discussed with Buriram President Newin Chidchob, hoping that the club would create conditions for Suphanat to play for the team from the SEA Games semi-finals. Coach Issara also called for support from clubs because after many years, Thailand has had a quality U23 generation, since the 1990 generation of Theerathon Bunmathan and the 1993 generation of Chanathip Songkrasin.

Vietnam's athletics goal at SEA Games 32: Continue to hold the number 1 position

The Vietnamese athletics team aims to win 14-18 gold medals and dominate the number 1 position in Southeast Asia at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia.

Nguyen Thi Oanh is one of the golden hopes of Vietnamese athletics at the 32nd SEA Games.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung - General Secretary of the Vietnam Athletics Federation said that athletes are currently working hard to prepare for the 32nd SEA Games. In addition to the key athletes, the Vietnamese athletics team at the 32nd SEA Games also promises to have new faces. These include Tran Thi Nhi Yen (100m, 200m), Bui Thi Ngan, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha (800m)... Mr. Hung said that many countries in the region such as the Philippines have naturalized many new athletes, including very strong athletes in the 400m and 400m hurdles.

On the afternoon of April 4, in the list expected to be presented to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnamese athletics team still has the name of "speed queen" Le Tu Chinh. If she participates in the 32nd SEA Games, Tu Chinh will only compete in the 4x100m relay, not her strong events of 100m and 200m.

Speed queen Tu Chinh leaves open the possibility of participating in SEA Games 32.

The earliest marathon event (taking place from May 6 in Siem Reap). It is expected that on April 19, the group of coaches and marathon athletes will leave for Siem Reap to familiarize themselves with the route and weather conditions. The marathon event will have four athletes: Hoang Nguyen Thanh, Trinh Quoc Luong (male), Le Thi Tuyet, Nguyen Thi Ninh (female) and the goal is to win 2 gold medals in the men's and women's marathon events.

Some faces expected to bring home gold medals for Vietnamese athletics at the 32nd SEA Games: Nguyen Thi Oanh, Nguyen Thi Huyen, Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc, Nguyen Trung Cuong, Do Quoc Luat, Luong Duc Phuoc, Nguyen Linh Na...

MU welcomes Eriksen back to play

Coach Erik ten Hag included Christian Eriksen in MU's squad for the match against Everton in round 38 of the Premier League on the evening of April 8 ( Hanoi time).

MU can "breathe a sigh of relief" with the return of Eriksen.

Eriksen was injured in the Red Devils' 3-1 win over Reading in the FA Cup fourth round on January 29. The Danish player's absence has left the MU midfield vulnerable, and Casemiro has also lost a good partner. The Red Devils have been forced to borrow Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich and use Fred more often than at the beginning of the season.

On April 6, the Danish midfielder returned to training with the Man Utd first team after more than 2 months on the sidelines. The former Tottenham star's injury treatment is progressing well. Previously, MU doctors predicted that Eriksen would have to rest until the end of April or early May.

Eriksen returns at the most intense stage of the season. MU's midfield is unstable, so the return of the midfielder born in 1992 is even more important. With Eriksen and Anthony Martial recovering from injury, MU will have the strongest squad in the next stage.

Featured news:

- Man United received good news when winger Alejandro Garnacho returned to training after recovering from an ankle injury . Previously, the 18-year-old Argentine player was injured in the 0-0 draw with Southampton.

- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is emerging as a potential candidate to replace manager Scott Parker at Club Brugge . The 50-year-old was sacked by Man United in November 2021 and is currently unemployed.

- Chelsea have added Carlo Ancelotti to their shortlist of potential candidates to become the club's permanent manager. Frank Lampard has now been appointed as interim boss following the sacking of Graham Potter.

- Michael Carrick was awarded the Championship Manager of the Month award for March . Middlesbrough under Carrick's guidance achieved 3 wins and 1 draw in March, beating Reading, Swansea and Preston as well as drawing with Stoke.

Hoang Son

(Synthetic)

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/the-thao/u22-viet-nam-tai-dau-voi-trung-quoc-sau-sea-games-32-mu-don-eriksen-tro-lai-thi-dau/183115.htm