JOGJAKARTA (31 July 2022) – The battle is evenly balanced in Group B of the AFF Under-16 Championship 2022 with all four teams anxiously eager for the start of the campaign tomorrow.
When asked about their assessment of their rivals in the opening matches tomorrow, it came as no surprise that all four head coaches were naturally wary of their opponents.
“We had about a month with the players where we even went to South Korea for our preparation. All the teams in this group are of equal strength. It is important that the players learn the value of discipline. For the game tomorrow, I want the players to enjoy playing.” – Timor Leste head coach Kim Shin-hwang
“We are ready 100% for this tournament. Every team here is a good team, so I told the players that they cannot afford to be careless. Results are important but so is the performance. The players have to learn from their mistakes to become better players.” – Laos head coach Kanlaya Sysomvang
“We have prepared this team for quite some time. But it is not only the physical aspect that we have concentrated on where we have also prepared the players mentally. All teams here are very well prepared. And that this is an important international tournament, with an eye on the AFC qualifiers.” – Thailand head coach Pipob An Mo
“All teams here are strong and they will be tough rivals for us. We have prepared this team for quite a while since February, so we are determined to put up a good showing.” – Brunei DS head coach Admirulrizal Arbi
The AFF U16 Championship was first incepted in 2002 with Thailand and Vietnam tied with the most number of titles at three each.
Host Indonesia’s only crown was in 2018 when they hosted the event in Sidoarjo.
AFF UNDER-16 CHAMPIONSHIP 2022
1 August 2022
GROUP B
FIXTURES
1500hrs (Sultan Agung Bantul Stadium): Timor Leste vs Laos
1900hrs (Maguwoharjo Sleman Stadium): Thailand vs Brunei DS
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Pictures Courtesy #PSSI
