The Vietnamese football team began its training camp Monday in Hanoi to prepare for a friendly match against Jamaica next Sunday ahead of the Asian Cup next month on home turf.

Twenty of the 23 players named in the team turned up for training with the other three key players Minh Phuong, Tai Em, and Tan Tai permitted by coach Alfred Riedl to join two days later because of injury and flight delays.

Riedl said star striker Cong Vinh, and defenders Viet Cuong and Van Bien also had minor injures and would do special exercises for a couple of days.

Asked about the Jamaica friendly, Riedl said his players would take time to adjust and there was no cause for concern.

In friendly matches it was better for the team to suffer heavy losses against strong teams than plunder goals against minnows.

Vietnam is one of four co-hosts of the Asian Cup along with Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The list of 23 players in the national team:

Goalkeepers (3): Duc Cuong (U23), Quang Huy, Hong Son,

Defenders (7): Nguyen Van Bien (U23), Viet Cuong (U23), Phung Van Nhien, Quang Thanh, Nhu Thanh, Huy Hoang, Hung Dung

Midfielders (9): Vu Phong (U23), Cong Minh (U23), Minh Chuyen (U23), Mai Tien Thanh (U23), Dong Huy Thai (U23), Tan Tai, Tai Em, Minh Phuong, Duc Duong

Strikers (4): Anh Duc (U23), Cong Vinh (U23), Phuc Hiep (U23), Thanh Binh (U23)

Reported by Phuong Lan Translated by Minh Phat