Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
A surprise victory in their opening match, and a heavy defeat in their second: that is Vietnam’s record so far at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Colombia 2016, the country’s debut appearance at a FIFA competition.
As you might expect for a squad stepping on to the big stage for the very first time, especially one that also happens to be among the youngest in the tournament, the Vietnamese are experiencing highs and lows in Colombia. In spite of the novelty of the occasion, however, their chances of advancing to the last 16 of the competition remain intact.
The task awaiting the Asian side in their final game against title contenders Italy is clear enough, with a win or a draw sufficient to take them through to the knockout phase. Yet as their Spanish coach Bruno Garcia acknowledged, facing the Italians is a daunting prospect. Discussing the match and the impact of his side’s Colombia 2016 campaign in an interview with FIFA.com, he said: “No matter what happens, I know that Vietnamese futsal will come out of this tournament much, much stronger.”
Old heads, young shoulders
Judging by the players he has at his disposal, Garcia’s observation is well founded. Take pivot Nguyen Minh Tri (pictured, below), for example. Four years ago, at the tender age of 16, he decided he wanted to be a part of the Futsal World Cup after watching Thailand 2012 on TV. Not content with making that dream come true, Minh Tri then marked his world-finals debut with a hat-trick.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/nguyen_minh_tri_vie_futsal_getty_jpg.html
