Thailand supports Vietnam cycling team after incident; Former record holder, football legend Marcelo retires

Thailand supports Vietnamese cyclists after incident

The Cycling Federation of Thailand supports the Vietnamese cycling team by preparing 27 bicycles for athletes to choose from at the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championship, taking place from February 7-16. These bicycles are currently being transported from Bangkok to the competition venue.

In addition, the Thai Cycling Federation also purchased 18 new helmets, 18 pairs of racing shoes and 18 pairs of pedals to help the members of the Vietnamese team have enough necessary equipment to participate in the tournament after the unfortunate incident.

Regarding compensation, the tournament organizers and the Asian Cycling Federation will have a meeting with representatives of the Vietnam Cycling and Motor Sports Federation to discuss and agree on reasonable support methods for the Vietnamese team.

Despite the unexpected incident, timely support from host country Thailand helped the Vietnamese cycling team reduce difficulties and focus on their best performances at the continental tournament.

On the afternoon of February 5, the Vietnamese road cycling team arrived in Thailand to prepare for the tournament. After landing at Bangkok airport, the athletes traveled by bus of the organizing committee, while bicycles, spare wheels and other competition equipment were transported by specialized trucks.

Unfortunately, the truck caught fire. The cause of the incident is still unclear, but the damage to the Vietnamese team was huge. Some athletes competing in two events were forced to bring two specialized vehicles, leading to even more serious damage.

Immediately after receiving the news, Mr. Hoang Quoc Vinh - Head of High Performance Sports Department I directed Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu - General Secretary of the Vietnam Cycling - Motor Sports Federation, Head of the Vietnam Cycling Delegation to quickly work with the organizing committee to find a solution, ensuring that athletes have enough equipment to compete according to schedule.

Former record holder, football legend Marcelo retires

In an announcement posted on social media via an emotional video clip on the afternoon of February 6, legendary left-back Marcelo announced the end of his illustrious playing career that spanned nearly two decades.

Joining Real Madrid in January 2007 at the age of 18, the young man from Fluminense brought with him great expectations. It didn't take long for Marcelo to develop from a young talent to become one of the best left-backs in the world.

"My journey as a player ends here, but I still have a lot to give to football," Marcelo said in his farewell video clip. The image of a full-back with superb technique, spontaneous sprints and shining moments in big matches will always be a part of football history.

Hanoi Police Club enters semi-finals with perfect record

On the evening of February 6, in the cold rain in Hang Day,Hanoi Police Clubdefeated Indonesian club Borneo 3-2 in the final match of the group stage of the ASEAN Shopee Cup 2024/25 (Southeast Asia Cup C1).

Before entering the match with Borneo, Hanoi Police Club had won Group B with 4 wins. However, coach Mano Polking and his team still played a dedicated match for the home audience, as well as advanced to the semi-finals with a perfect record (15 points).

The scorers for the Police team were Van Do, Dinh Bac and Leo Artur. Jusuf and Adsit scored for Borneo but it was not enough for the visitors to get 1 point.

Entering the semi-finals as group winners, Hanoi Police Club will meet another Indonesian representative, PSM Makassar. The first leg of the semi-final will take place on April 2 away, and the return leg will take place on April 30 at Hang Day.

This is the first time the ASEAN Shopee Cup has been held. The Hanoi Police Club is considered a championship candidate and is determined to bring home the No. 1 Southeast Asian title at the club level.

Vietnam team falls into "unbelievably easy" group at Asian Cup finals

The Vietnamese women's futsal team has fallen into a "dream" group at the 2025 Asian futsal finals. This is a golden opportunity for the Vietnamese women's futsal team to make history and enter the finals of the 2025 Women's Futsal World Cup.

Vietnam women's futsal teamThe opponents in the 2025 Asian Women's Futsal Championship finals have been officially determined after the draw took place on the afternoon of February 6. The surprising result was that coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang and his team were placed in a group that was considered not too difficult with the participation of Iran, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Compared to the "big names" in other groups, the Vietnamese women's futsal team can breathe a sigh of relief when they only have to face Hong Kong and the Philippines - two opponents considered weaker. Meanwhile, Iran is certainly the biggest challenge.

With the tournament format, Vietnam only needs to enter the top 2 of the group or become one of the two third-placed teams with the best results to advance to the Quarterfinals. If they maintain their form as in the qualifying round, the ticket to the next round is almost certain in the hands of coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang and his team.

As planned, the 2025 Asian Women's Futsal Finals will take place from May 7 to May 18, 2025 in China./.