Fadhil Yunus
The Brunei Darussalam National Under-19 team are currently in the middle of training as part of their preparations ahead of the upcoming Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 Boys Championship scheduled in early July this year.
The under-19 team is one of three age groups that have restarted live training activities in adherence to strict protocols amid a line-up of major regional tournaments this season.
The team underwent a series of drills including the use of coaching equipment relating to improving speed and agility such as hurdles, ladders and sticks.
The various national age-group teams have seen opportunities of competing overseas non-existent for two years owed to the border closure and travel restrictions brought by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The second wave of COVID-19 infections last August had previously limited the teams to virtual training, but had since extended to field training starting early this year with strict adherence to standard operating procedures.
Meanwhile, the Under-16 team had also conducted training and gym sessions in the build-up towards the upcoming AFF Under-16 Boys Championship also scheduled later this year.
The country’s interest in the international scene has been revived, following the participation of the Under-23 team in the AFF Under-23 Championship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia next Monday.
The 26-member strong team will be taking on the hosts Cambodia in their opening match on February 14.
They have also been drawn against Timor Leste and the Philippines in their quest to get out of the group and qualify for the knock-out stages.
The Under-16, 19 and 23 teams last tasted competitive international football in 2019.
The Under-19 team last competed in the previous edition of the AFF Under-19 Championship in Yangon, Myanmar in September 2019 while the Under-16 team took part in the previous installment of the AFF Under-16 Boys Championship in Chonburi, Thailand in July.
The Under-23 team played in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila, the Philippines last December.
