Vietnam to play first match of World Cup qualifiers’ third round at midnight

The match between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia in the final round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers is set to start at 0am on September 3 (Vietnam time).

Vietnamese player Nguyen Cong Phuong (in red) dribbles the ball

According to a schedule set by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the match will be held at 8pm on September 2 (Saudi Arabia time).

In June, Vietnam played at a similar time during the second round of the qualifiers hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Members of the national men’s football team will leave for Saudi Arabia on August 27 to acclimatise themselves with the weather and time zone. Head coach Park Hang-seo will select 25-26 players for the trip.

On August 19, the team will play with the national U22 squad.

Vietnam made history by advancing to the third and final round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time. In the final round, they will play in Group B along with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman.

Similarly, the national women’s team may also play matches at the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup qualification at such hours.

Their games with the three rivals of Afghanistan, Maldives and the hosts Tajikistan are scheduled to be held at 10pm and 0am on September 23, 26 and 30 (Vietnam time), respectively./.

VNA