Big match kicks off long awaited football showdown

The hugely anticipated football match between Thailand and Vietnam will feature on the first day of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane tomorrow.

Kick-starting the event will be a match between Malaysia and Timor Leste, before the competition's heavyweights take to the field.

Vietnamese footballers were the first arrivals of the thousands athletes participating in the games, touching down before the football teams from Thailand , Cambodia , Singapore , Malaysia and Indonesia .

Vietnamese Coach Henrique Calisto said Saturday's match with Thailand will be the biggest for his team, given the strength of their opponents.

“Just win, just lose or just draw, we still don't know, but we will do our best in the match,” said the Portuguese coach.

“The last time we met them recently ended in a draw, so we don't know what will happen on Wednesday.”

While the Vietnamese team is hopeful of matching up to Thailand , the Thai team believe they can show their supremacy in the first match.

Thai Coach Stephen Darby said on Sunday his team was preparing perfectly and was confident of winning the match.

“We believe our players can get a result on Wednesday, and we'd like to be playing again on the final day of the SEA Games.”

The men's football teams are divided into two groups. Group A comprises Thailand , Vietnam , Malaysia , Timor Leste and Cambodia , while Group B consists of Laos , Myanmar , Singapore and Indonesia .

Group A:

December 2 (National Stadium) Malaysia vs Timor Leste

Thailand vs Vietnam

December 4 (Chao Anouvong) Thailand vs Cambodia

Vietnam vs Timor Leste

December 6 (National Stadium)

Vietnam vs Malaysia

Timor Leste vs Cambodia

December 8 (Chao Anouvong)

Timor Leste vs Thailand

Cambodia vs Malaysia

December 11

Cambodia vs Vietnam

(Chao Anouvong stadium)

Malaysia vs Thailand (National Stadium)

The matches will begin at 3pm.

The women's football matches will be played in one group, comprising Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , Vietnam and Laos .

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
(Latest Update Decembe 01 , 2009)