Fadhil Yunus
Brunei Darussalam’s under-19 team stepped up preparations ahead of their probable involvement in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 Boys Championship scheduled to be held in Indonesia in July.
The under-19 meet is expected to be the third competition organised by the AFF in the country’s football calendar following the conclusion of the under-23 tournament last month and the upcoming AFF Futsal Championship in Thailand next month.
The Young Wasps have been put through their paces at the Menglait Sports Complex field and the FABD field in adherence to standard operating procedures outlined by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Officials and players are required to do antigen rapid tests (ART) before proceeding to the field and their BruHealth code checked upon entry.
The players had the opportunity to perform drills on the field including exercises supported by resistance bands in preparation for the matches.
A number of officials were also seen observing the players amid their intention to get them in optimal condition.
According to the FABD, the players showed strong dedication to their training together with the coaching team.
The training sessions signal the resumption of domestic football activities for the country’s young talents following a hiatus due to the second wave of COVID-19 infections last August.
The under-19 players have not seen competitive action since the leagues organised by the FABD were halted amid restrictions to control the spread of the outbreak.
However, the football scene received a significant boost after the country moved to the Early Endemic Phase as teams at various age levels including the under-16s and futsal teams commenced training.
The under-19 team have not played competitively at international level since the start of the pandemic, with their last appearance coming in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-19 Championship qualifiers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2019.
