VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Monday awarded the U22 men’s national football squad and the women’s national team for their successes at recent regional football events at a ceremony in Hanoi.

Minister Hoang Tuan Anh presents a certificate of merit to the U22 team.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports Hoang Tuan Anh and VFF Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy praised the two teams for their efforts in winning the championship of the Merdeka Cup 2008 and taking second in the Southeast Asia Women’s Football Championship 2008.

Minister Hoang Tuan Anh presented ministry certificates of merit to the two squads. The women’s team also received VND1.19 billion ($74,000) from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, the VFF, Football Newspaper, the T&T Group, the Hai Phong Cement Company and the HCM City Football Federation.

The U22 team, meanwhile, received VND650 million ($40,000) from the VFF and the HCM City Football Federation.

On November 7, the U22 squad will have a friendly match in Hanoi against the Hai Phong Cement Club, which is led by the former coach of the national squad, Austrian Alfred Riedl.

On November 9, the team will go to Myanmar for the Myanmar Royal Cup. This tournament will have six teams, playing in two groups: Myanmar, Indonesia and Bangladesh in group A and U22 Vietnam, U23 Malaysia, and South Korea’s Hyundai Club in group B.

PV