Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the last matches of the qualifying round to decide 12 teams to enter the final round of the 2021 National U19 Championship (scheduled for February 1) were postponed. The organization committee is expected to announce the most feasible option for the resumption of the tournament if the situation gets better. However, it is not easy to find a reasonable solution for all teams.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the last matches of the qualifying round to decide 12 teams to enter the final round of the 2021 National U19 Championship (scheduled for February 1) were postponed. The organization committee is expected to announce the most feasible option for the resumption of the tournament if the situation gets better. However, it is not easy to find a reasonable solution for all teams.
In fact, the organization committee has made some options to finish the qualifying round of the 2021 National U19 Championship. For example, in case the situation of the pandemic in localities is improved, all the teams will continue to play their last match to decide the 12 finalists. If not, the teams’ results after nine previous matches of the qualifiers will be counted to decide their positions and qualification for the final round. However, these two options are not regarded as the best ones for all teams.
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Financial issue is always a difficulty of junior teams. In the first option mentioned above, the teams of the 2021 National U19 Championship will have to travel to the localities where the matches are set to be played. This will cost them a considerable amount of money, which is not a desirable thing for the teams at the bottom of the table without any hope for a slot in the finals. If the tournament resumes this way, in Group A, while Hanoi and PVF have secured a slot in the finals, Dong A Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, and People's Police, whose chances to enter the final round has ended, will have to travel to Hanoi without any motivation.
Option 2 seems to be the most feasible solution. However, this option can cause disadvantage to some teams. Specifically, there are only five teams who have secured a place in the final round, namely PVF and Hanoi (Group A); Song Lam Nghe An (Group B); Quang Nam (Group C); and Dong Thap (Group E). The remaining seven places have not been determined yet. Especially, four out of five teams of Group D (Becamex Binh Duong, Saigon, Khanh Hoa, Dong Nai) scheduled to play in Nha Trang City still have a chance to qualify for the finals. In their last match, Khanh Hoa (12 points) will face Dong Nai (11 points); Becamex Binh Duong (14 points) will compete against Saigon (12 points). Both Khanh Hoa and Dong Nai can become a finalist if they win this match. Meanwhile, the loser in the match between Becamex Binh Duong and Saigon can likely be eliminated or has to wait for the final spot as the third-best team.
With the current points of Group D teams, it is probable that option 2 will cause some differences of opinion. It seems that option 1 is more suitable for the teams of Group D. For the other groups, the results of the previous matches will be counted for the teams who have already secured their spot and who have been eliminated. Meanwhile, the teams who still have a chance will play their last qualification match.
An Nhien
Translated by H.N
