Vietnam’s PVF Football Academy finish eighth in 24-team Rotterdam Cup; win Fair Play Award

Vietnam’s PVF Academy has secured an eighth place in the 24-team Rotterdam Cup U-15 International Football Tournament which concluded in Rotterdam, Netherlands recently.

The PVF Academy also took home the Fair Play Award in the 2019 edition of the tournament which was won by the junior of La Liga giants Atletico Madrid. Local side Sparta Rotterdam emerged as the runners-up while Bundesliga’s RB Leipzig took the third position.

PVF, who finished at eight, was ahead of some of the biggest academies in the world including that of Slavia Praha (9th), Club Brugge (13th), Vancouver Whitecaps (15th), Tottenham Hotspur (21st) and Hajduk Split (23rd).

PVF were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Tatran Persov in their opener before defeating SBV Excelsior 2-0 in their second fixture. The Vietnamese side then recorded their second successive win against Ilves FC in the third game.

They also defeated Orlando Pirates 1-0 but lost to eventual champions Atletico Madrid 1-0 in order to settle for an eighth-placed finish.

Sergio Mestre of Atletico was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament while Olivier Aertssen of Sparta Rotterdam won the best defender award. Sergio Esteban of Atletico won the best midfielder gong while his teammate Marcos Denia was named the best striker.

• FoxsprotAsia. (Photo: PVF Football Academy)