VIENTIANE, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Lao men's team left for Vietnam on Tuesday to compete at the AFF HD BANK Futsal Championship 2017 to be held from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3, according to Lao Football Federation on Tuesday.
The futsal team comprises a mix of new and experienced players and prepared at LFF's indoor stadium under the lead of Head Coach Sysaveuy Xayxanasy.
The AFF HD BANK Futsal Championship 2017 consists of nine teams. Group A includes Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, the Philippines and Indonesia, while Group B features Thailand, Malaysia, Timor Leste and Laos.
Laos will play Thailand on Thursday, Malaysia on Friday and Timor Leste on Saturday.
The semi-finals will be held on Nov. 1 with the final and third place playoff scheduled for Nov. 3.
Qualification of the Lao team itself is being seen as welcome progress, according to Lao state-run media Vientiane Times. The team was unable to qualify for the AFF Futsal Championship 2017 in Thailand held in January.
A Vientiane futsal team representing Laos was similarly unsuccessful in qualifying for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Club Championship Thailand 2017 held in Bangkok in July.
At the AFF Invitational Futsal Club Championship 2016 in Myanmar, the Lanexang United team representing Laos fell in the first round.
To raise the skills and experience of local players, LFF's futsal sub-committee has hosted friendly matches in the capital enabling the selection of players for international competition.
Futsal will feature at the 11th National Games in Xieng Khuang province next year after being introduced at the 10th National Games in Oudomxay province in December 2014.
