VIENTIANE, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Laos is hopeful of progressing past the group stage of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-15 Championship 2019 in Chonburi, Thailand, from July 27 to August 9.
Many local football pundits believe the Lao boys have a good chance of making the finals, given that they are in the weaker side of the draw, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Thursday.
Laos is in Group A and will take on Myanmar, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Brunei, while Group B comprises the more fancied Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and Australia.
The Lao squad is training at the National Football Stadium in the capital Vientiane under the guidane of Singaporean coach Selvaraj Vengadasalam, who also assists in guiding the Lao men's senior team.
The U-15 team has been preparing for the championship since June and will travel to Thailand next week.
Laos competes in the regional AFF U-15 Championship each year but so far has been unable to progress past the group stage. Meanwhile, the Lao Football Federation will be eyeing the action and looking to select some of the best U-15 players to join the national squad for the AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers 2020 in Vientiane in September.
