Futsal

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam are almost finished fine-tuning their bid for a place at the AFC Futsal Cup 2026 Finals despite challenges still lying ahead.

Coach Diego Giustozzi and his 16 players are in Kuwait for intensive training, their final preparations before the Asian qualifiers.

Over six days they will sharpen their fitness and tactics through practice and two friendly matches against the hosts.

“Friendly matches will not be the same with games in the qualification round but they are valuable opportunities for players, especially (Phạm Đức) Hòa and (Dương Ngọc) Linh, who just return to the team after injuries, catch up with the rhythm of the team and be familiar with the competition pressure. Meanwhile the coaching board can review performance of new members. At the same time, all team can earn experience for the upcoming tournament,” said Giustozzi.

After Kuwait, the team will fly to China for their Group E fixtures. Việt Nam will play Hong Kong-China on September 20, China on September 22 and Lebanon two days later.

Việt Nam aim for top spot in the group, which would secure them an automatic place in the finals.

“At this point, I am very pleased with the training and expertise of the players. The whole team has been training with a high volume, practising many different tactical pieces to prepare for the opponents who play with different intensities and styles,” said Giustozzi.

The Argentine coach added that the absence of two key players — midfielder Trần Thái Huy and goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý — had a significant impact on Viet Nam’s preparations and could also affect their performance in China.

Ý has just undergone ligament surgery, which will also prevent him from playing in the 33rd SEA Games later this year.

Huy, meanwhile, is still in the recovery process after several weeks of rest due to a leg injury. It is expected that he can return to the team in the Asian Finals if Việt Nam qualify.

“Their absence is really regretted because it affects our plan. However, I also believe in the current players. I am working and preparing for the present and the future of Vietnamese futsal,” Giustozzi said.

Giustozzi has harmoniously built a team that combines experienced veterans and young faces with great potential.

Among them he has put his trust in Phạm Văn Tú, Phạm Đức Hòa, Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng, Châu Đoàn Phát, Từ Minh Quang, Nguyễn Minh Trí and Nguyễn Thịnh Phát who played a core role in helping Viet Nam advance to two World Cup Finals and reach the top four of the Asian Championship previously.

Meanwhile he promised to give opportunities to young talents such as Trần Quang Nguyên, Trịnh Công Đại, Vũ Ngọc Ánh and Nguyễn Đa Hải, who are believed to be the future of Vietnamese futsal.

“The core of my team is experienced players because we have two official tournaments ahead — the 2026 Asian qualifiers and the 2025 SEA Games,” he said.

“In this preparation period, we need stability to ensure good tactics and playing style. And I still give young players opportunities to prepare the successor force for the team's future.”

Captain Hòa said he had not yet reached his best form after breaking his arm in March. But he was doing everything to catch the pace of the team and hoped that he would play well in China.

“This qualifier is more difficult than last time. Lebanon are really a secret while China have shown big progress. However, Việt Nam have had good preparation and young players have proved their abilities through domestic leagues,” said Hòa.

“Chance is equal for all teams and Việt Nam, of course, target the top place in the ranking.”

Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation in the qualifiers between September 20 and 24 in centralised venues.

A total of 16 teams will qualify for the finals from January 27 to February 7. Host country Indonesia have qualified automatically and will be joined by 15 teams comprising the eight group winners and seven best second-placed teams from the qualifiers. VNS