3 V-League teams ask for priority for Covid-19 vaccination; Van Hau unlikely to attend World Cup qualifiers

On March 8, the first doses of the vaccine will be administered to Vietnamese people. Athletes do not belong to the 11 groups prioritized by the Ministry of Health in the context of limited vaccine sources.

Therefore, on March 4, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) proposed that the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) submit to the Government as well as ministries and branches to allow members of Viettel, Hanoi and Saigon clubs to be given priority to use the Covid-19 vaccine before leaving for the AFC 2021 tournament.

Viettel is one of three clubs that want to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before participating in Asian tournaments. Photo: Duc Dong.

Viettel will play AFC Champions League matches against BG Pathum United (Thailand), Ulsan Hyundai (Korea), and the winner of the play-off match between Beijing Guoan (China) and Brisbane Roar (Australia) or Kaya–Iloilo (Philippines). The match will likely take place in Bangkok, Thailand from April 21 to May 7.

Hanoi FC are in Group G of the AFC Cup with Bali United (Indonesia), Boeung Ket (Cambodia) and a team from the play-off round. The venue of this group has not been determined yet. Meanwhile, Saigon FC will compete in Group H of the AFC Cup in Singapore from June 22 to June 28. Opponents include Kedah (Malaysia), Lion City Sailors (Singapore) and the winner of the play-off round.

Previously, Saigon FC applied to host the AFC Cup group stage butfailed. The AFC Cup regulation is four days of quarantine, while Vietnam requires 14 days, with no exceptions.

• Van Hau unlikely to attend World Cup qualifiers
• Afternoon of March 5 at headquartersVietnam Football Federation(VFF), the federation's leaders had a meeting with the leaders of Hanoi Club, representatives of the VFF Medical Board, the Department of Science and Sports Medicine of the Hanoi National Sports Training Center, many experts from PVF, Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Hospital, doctors of the Vietnam team... about the case of Doan Van Hau.
  
  The defender born in 1999 has just had the latest MRI scan results. Medical staff of Hanoi Club and physiotherapist of PVF presented the current condition and progress of Van Hau's injury recovery.
  
  

  Doctor Choi Ju-young (left) is re-diagnosing Van Hau's injury on the afternoon of March 5. Photo: VFF.

  The experts and doctors attending the consultation agreed to continue monitoring the progress of Doan Van Hau's injury recovery according to the treatment and training regimen that Doan Van Hau is following at the PVF Center. It is expected that Van Hau will enter the final stage of treatment at the end of April to the beginning of May. After that, depending on the actual condition, the experts will examine and find solutions to help Hau recover as quickly as possible.

  According to Mr. Adrien Diouf, Head of PVF's Physical Therapy Department, Van Hau's injury has shown signs of recovery. However, this defender needs to continue to be monitored, examined, and evaluated in the coming time. With the current situation, it is difficult for the 22-year-old player to recover 100% to join the Vietnam team in May. Coach Park and his team can travel abroad early to get used to the climate in May and compete in early June.
  
  Van Hau suffered a torn meniscus injury while at Heerenveen. He suffered a relapse when he returned to Hanoi FC. The defender underwent surgery in Ho Chi Minh City on December 10, 2020.
• Privileges of 10 teams to play make-up round 3 of V.League
• According to the V.League 2021 regulations, teams have the right to replace up to 3 foreign players, no later than 3:00 p.m. the day before the round 3 match.
  
  Up to this point, only 4 teams Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, Saigon and SLNA have played round 3. These 4 clubs no longer have the right to replace foreign players. The other 10 teams still have this right.
  
  "The key is that the regulations do not specify a date, only one day before round 3. We have discussed with the Vietnam Football Federation to approve this. Clubs that have not played round 3 can replace foreign players," said a leader of VPF (Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company).
  

  Many foreign players may be unemployed at the last minute, but the club must compensate the players appropriately. Photo: Quang Thinh.

  The remaining 5 matches in round 3 will take place on March 13 and 14. Teams have more than 40 days to prepare when the National Championship returns. Some teams still keep a few foreign players as backup in case they have to replace them. Binh Duong FC has registered an ITC (work permit) for striker Konan Oussou as a backup plan. The number of experienced foreign players in the V.League during the Covid-19 period is quite limited, so many teams are willing to spend money to keep more foreign players as a second option.

  The right to replace foreign players before round 3 also helps clubs create surprises in the early stages of V.League. Gramoz Kurtaj played for Nam Dinh in round 2 but in round 3, he played for Thanh Hoa Club. Gramoz met Nam Dinh and forced this team to accept a 0-3 defeat.
  
  However, not many teams still intend to change foreign players in that way. The long break has helped most V.League clubs stabilize their squads. Round 3 of V.League is expected to return next weekend with the key matches Hai Phong - Hanoi and Viettel - Binh Duong.