Huaphan footballers confident of strike at National Games

Huaphan provincial men's football team is confident of success at the eighth National Games which start in Champassak province next week.

The team trained in Vientiane last month under the eye of the Ministry of National Defence's football coach, Mr Kaysone Xayavong.

Signalling their improvement, Huaphan beat current Lao league champions the Army football team 3-2 in a friendly match on November 28.

The team lurks as a dangerous underdog in the games' football event.

Huaphan's first match is against the Ministry of Public Works at the main football stadium on December 9.

Huaphan provincial Sports Office Director General, Mr Sengthong Sengsoulin, said the management would be happy if the team drew its first round match.

He said the Ministry of Public Works had the strongest team in group A and a draw would give Huaphan an excellent opportunity to move into the quarter-finals.

At the seventh National Games held in Savannakhet province in 2005, the Ministry of Public Works defeated Huaphan province 1-0 at the quarter-final stage.

Mr Sengthong said many of Huaphan's players previously played for the ministry and Army teams in the Lao league.

The team's second match pits them against Khammuan province on December 12, while their third match is against Vientiane province on December 15.

Mr Sengthong is confident the team can defeat both teams in the first round.

The Huaphan provincial Sports Office has spent 200 million kip preparing teams to compete in petanque, table tennis, crossbow, top spinning, track and field, golf, football and badminton events at the games.

Football matches will be played from December 9 to 22, with teams grouped as follows:

Group A: Ministry of Public Works, Huaphan, Khammuan and Vientiane provinces.

Group B: Vientiane, Banking Institute and Borikhamxay and Saravan provinces.

Group C: Savannakhet, Luang Prabang and Xekong provinces and the Ministry of Public Security.

Group D: Ministry of National Defence, Champassak and Attapeu provinces.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
(Latest Update December 5 , 2008)