TIMNAS Vietnam U-23 potentially withdraw from 2022 AFF U-23 Cup. According to Vietnamese media Soha.vn, if two of the four additional Vietnamese players test positive for Covid-19, Din The Nam’s squad will have to lift their suitcases from the 2022 AFF U-23 Cup without playing the semifinal match.
According to Soha’s report, all players of the Vietnam U-23 national team underwent a Covid-19 test on Thursday, (2/24/2022) morning WIB. The result is still the same as yesterday, where only 10 players are healthy.
(Vietnam U-23 national team has a maximum strength of 14 players against Timor Leste)
That means, so far only 10 Vietnamese players are healthy ahead of the meet East Timor in the semifinals of the 2022 AFF U-23 Cup on Thursday (24/2/2022) at 19.30 WIB. However, the number of healthy Vietnamese players could increase to 14 if the four additional players brought in are in good health.
According to the rules, all teams are allowed to call 10 additional players outside of the players who have been registered, to replace footballers who have tested positive for Covid-19. After previously calling six new players last week, Vietnam has now registered four additional names.
These names are scheduled to arrive in Cambodia on Thursday (24/2/2022) afternoon WIB. If the quick test results of these four names are negative for Covid-19, the Vietnam squad will automatically increase to 14 names to face Timor Leste.
However, if two of them are positive for Covid-19, Vietnam only has 12 players and they automatically have to withdraw. Because, according to the 2022 AFF U-23 Cup regulations, to play a match a team must have a minimum of 13 players.