Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Futsal will be contested for the fourth time in the Sea Games and with the 2017 edition kicking off in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, the-AFC.com previews the men's and women's tournaments.
Men's Teams: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia
Thailand have been unbeatable in futsal at the Sea Games, having won all three previous editions and given their superiority at the ASEAN level, it will be difficult to stop them. Bluewave Chonburi's recent win in the 2017 AFC Asian Clubs Futsal Championship Vietnam is further proof of Thailand's prowess in futsal and it will be a major upset if they are denied SEA Games gold again. Thailand also finished third in the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship after beating Vietnam 8-0.
Vietnam played second fiddle to Thailand in the last two SEA Games - losing 8-3 and 8-1 in the 2011 and 2013 finals respectively - and after suffering heartache following Thai Son Nam falling at the semi-final stage of the 2017 AFC Futsal Club Championship, can be expected to be firing on all cylinders to end Thailand's dominance. Vietnam made headlines in the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship when they defeated Japan in the quarter-finals, earning them a semi-final berth. Despite their loss to eventual winners Islamic Republic of Iran, and Thailand in the third-place play-off, both Southeast Asian teams qualified for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/vietnam_squad_afc-futsal_jpg_1.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/thailand_v_malaysia_afc-womens-futsal_jpg.html
