Football star Cong Phuong (No. 21)

The Vietnamese club failed in their bid to make it into the AFC Champions League 2020 after losing 2-1 to Thai side Buriram United FC in a fixture played in the Republic of Korea on January 21.

As a result of losing the tie Ho Chi Minh City will be competing in the AFC Cup 2020 instead.

With new-signing Cong Phuong in their ranks for the upcoming AFC Cup 2020 campaign, the Vietnamese football star and his teammates will be competing in Group F alongside Hougang United FC of Singapore, Lao Toyota FC of Laos, and the winners of the play-off between Brunei’s Indera FC and Myanmar’s Yangon United FC.

The format of the tournament will see the top teams of Group F, Group G, and Group H, alongside the best second-place team go through to the semi-final round for the Southeast Asian region.

Following this the teams will compete for a place in the inter-regional semi-finals.  Kicking off their time in the competition will be Ho Chi Minh City FC taking on the winner of the play-off match between Brunei’s Indera FC and Myanmar’s Yangon United FC at the Thong Nhat Stadium on February 11.

Following this will be ties against Hougang United FC of Singapore on February 25 and Lao Toyota FC of Laos on March 10.

Elsewhere, Quang Ninh Coal FC have been put in Group G alongside Indonesia’s Bali United FC, a representative from the Philippines who has yet to be selected, and the winner of the play-off match between Cambodia’s Svay Rieng FC and Laos’ Master 7 FC. VOV