(KPL) A Laos Under-23 football team, that will compete next month in the SEA Games, drew 1-1 in the first match against Vissai Ninh Binh of Vietnam at the eagerly-awaited Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC) Cup 2009 tournament which kicked off at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on Sunday, 8 November.
The Lao team will meet with the host Cambodia on the second match. Speaking through the local television network TV5, Mr. Pasatsay Philaphandeth, Vice-Manager of the Lao team, said that the BIDC Cup 2009 officially opened from 8-14 November to strengthen the friendship between Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
At the second match on the same day, the Cambodia team beat the Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) with 3-2 although the Hoang Anh Gia Lai team got the 2-0 at the first half of the game.
Mr. Pasatsay Philaphandeth also said that the Lao team would compete with the Cambodian team in the evening of 10 November and it is a special match for the Lao team since the Cambodian team is also prepared for the 25th SEA Games in Laos.
“The competition with the Cambodian team will be the test match in term of techniques, and strength among others”, said Mr. Pasatsay Philaphandeth. He added that the performance of the Cambodian team was very different from the Lao game because the Cambodian team played long ball and the Lao team displayed the short ball. The audience can view the games through local television network TV5 which broadcast the games live from 15:00 PM.
On 10 November the Lao team will meet with Cambodia while Vissai Ninh Binh will meet Hoang Anh Gia Lai. The Lao team will meet with Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Cambodia will meet with Vissai Ninh Binh on 12 November.
Each team will play one another, with the two best-placed teams meeting on November 14 for the cash prize of US$20,000 for the winners. Runners-up will go home with $10,000, while the 3rd-place team will receive $5,000.
Aside from the cash prize and much-needed match practice for the two national Under-23 teams prior to the all-important SEA Games, the tournament is being seen as a sign of friendship and solidarity between the three nations.
KPL Lao News Agency
