Coach Park Hang-seo and Vietnam U23 players train for the 31st SEA Games. Photo: VFF

Star striker Tien Linh practiced with his teammates and won the special attention of Park Hang-seo as they will play against Indonesia in the first match of the tournament on Friday.

Vietnam will face Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Timor Leste in the men’s football group stage. After the Vietnam vs Indonesia match on Friday, three days later, Vietnam will come up against the Philippines, its next match with Myanmar is on May 13, and the final group-stage match is scheduled on May 15.

The national football teams of Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines have arrived in Vietnam as they get preparations underway for competitions. A total of 16 footballers from Thailand’s U23s arrive at Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh province on Wednesday. They will play in Group B alongside Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Singapore.

The Indonesian team held their first training session in Phu Tho on Wednesday and will face Vietnam in Group A’s opening match at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province on Friday. Myanmar’s U23 side arrived in Phu Tho on May 1 after returning from the United Arab Emirates where they had held a training camp. The Myanmar team coached by Velizar Popov were the first side to arrive in Vietnam for Group A matches. Myanmar will play their first match against Timor Leste on Sunday.