"Bogeyman" in the Southwest qualifying round
After 2 seasons of the Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament (2023 and 2024), it can be said that Tra Vinh University is the most successful team in the qualifying round of the Southwest region. Over the years, the team has had a journey to hunt for the "golden ticket" to the National Finals with clear progress. In the first season (2023), the team played with great effort, convincingly passing the group stage to advance to the final match. However, facing a formidable opponent at that time, Can Tho University, the team was defeated with a score of 0-2, regretfully watching the other team win the right to continue.
Tra Vinh University (yellow and blue shirts) participates in many friendly tournaments before the qualifying round of the Southwest region of the 3rd Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament - 2025 THACO Cup
However, this defeat did not make Tra Vinh University feel inferior or reserved in front of its opponent. On the contrary, from that stumble, the team was determined to stand up stronger. With great effort, in the 2024 season, the team continued to enter the regional finals and met again with a fateful opponent, Can Tho University. But this time the situation was completely different, the team had a spectacular "transformation" with a 2-0 victory over Can Tho University, thereby making the dream of winning the championship of the Southwest qualifying round come true.
Tra Vinh University players are highly appreciated for their physical strength and ability to play evenly in all positions on the field.
Not only that, Tra Vinh University then became a "phenomenon" at the National Finals of the TNSV THACO Cup 2024. The team created one surprise after another in the group stage, far exceeding the expectations of the coaching staff when reaching the quarter-finals. Although it did not achieve the highest result, this achievement is a "new record" for a representative of the Western region. Therefore, it is not too much to say that Tra Vinh University is the "giant" in the qualifying round of the Southwest region of the 3rd Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament - 2025 THACO Cup (TNSV THACO Cup 2025).
The fierce race to defend the "throne"
This year, in the group stage, Tra Vinh University is in Group B, along with Tay Do University, FPT University Can Tho and Vinh Long University of Technical Education. The team will have their first match against newcomer Vinh Long University of Technical Education at 4:00 p.m. on January 9.
Coach Tra Vinh University Tram Quoc Nam said that the team came to this year's tournament with the highest goal of defending the championship and re-establishing the achievement of winning a ticket to the national finals. The team is not under pressure in the group stage, because winning the top spot in this group is achievable.
Many pillars that helped Tra Vinh University win the golden ticket last year continue to compete at TNSV THACO cup 2025
Coach Tram Quoc Nam’s relaxed mentality can be partly understood when the Tra Vinh University players are in good form. Recently, although the team is made up of students, they reached the semi-finals of the Tra Vinh Provincial Football Championship. With a solid playing style, the team played on par with the district teams, only to lose in a tense penalty shootout.
Although Tra Vinh University has said goodbye to some outstanding players of the “golden generation” after graduating, including two players who scored against Can Tho University last year, Tran Huynh Lam and Tram Huynh Cong. However, the school still has a quality squad to compete on equal terms with all opponents this year. Notably, goal scorers such as Huynh Dang Khoa, Son Ngoc Tam, Vo Pham Nhat Duy, Cao Lu Minh Thuan… are still playing.
The team is determined to defend the throne of the Southwest region, winning a double of golden tickets to the National Finals.
However, with the number of teams participating in the Southwest qualifying round increasing, the level of the schools is increasingly narrowing and they know more about each other's playing style, so the journey to defend the throne of Tra Vinh University is predicted to not be easy. Coach Tram Quoc Nam also said that the real challenge for the team will begin in the semi-finals, when they will meet 1 of 4 teams with very systematic football investment in group A: Can Tho University, Nam Can Tho University, Dong Thap University and Cuu Long University.
“This year, the Southwest qualifying round has 8 teams participating but only 1 place in the national finals, promising that the matches will be very exciting. The qualifying round is indeed harsh, but the Tra Vinh University team believes that this is very good, very motivating for the players to compete. Because the Youth Student Football Tournament is organized professionally, systematically, gathering strong teams to participate. Any team that wins the golden ticket will bring great honor and pride to their school,” Coach Tram Quoc Nam shared.
Southwestern region qualifying round schedule
The qualifying round of the 3rd Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament - 2025 THACO Cup has 66 teams divided into 6 groups competing according to geographical areas from December 28, 2024 to January 18, 2025. Specifically, including the northern region (from December 30, 2024 - January 10, 2025 at Thuy Loi University Stadium); the Central Coast region (from January 6 - January 12, 2025 at Military Zone 5 Stadium - Da Nang); the South Central and Central Highlands regions (January 10 - January 18, 2025 at Nha Trang University Stadium); the Southeast region (January 4 - January 12, 2025 at Bau Thanh Stadium, Ba Ria - Vung Tau); Southwestern region (January 8 - January 17, 2025 at Can Tho Stadium) and Ho Chi Minh City region (December 28, 2024 - January 15, 2025 at Ton Duc Thang University Stadium) to select 11 teams with the host team Ton Duc Thang University to compete in the final round of the tournament from March 1 - March 16, 2025.
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