Foreign football teams move on from mishaps, focus on SEA Games matches instead

MANILA, Philippines — Football teams from Myanmar, Cambodia and Timor-Leste are letting bygones be bygones after logistical hiccups in their arrival for the 30th Southeast Asian Games here in Manila on Saturday.

The three teams were hounded by mishaps from late transportation to inefficient accommodation after arriving in the country—prompting criticism of organizers from both local and international football communities—but as far as the teams are concerned, what's done is done.

"Yes, yesterday we got some problems at the airport, at the hotel. But I hope so for the future it cannot happen again," Timor-Leste manager Fabiano Flora said.

"I think all the nations deserve respect and what happened yesterday was not so beautiful... but it is okay... We just focus on the games and that's all," he added.

The Timor-Leste squad was forced to wait for hours at the airport for their hotel transportation, they were also brought to the wrong hotel.

Myanmar coach Velizar Popov, whose team experienced a similar problem, was reluctant to talk about the incidents.

"I think it's not good image for the tournament if we start to talk in the press conference about this. Of course, we encountered some things in our arrival, but I don't want to enter into it, because it's not the most important," Popov said.

Felix Dalmas of Cambodia said his squad took the challenges in a positive light.

"We had to change some things but we prepared. We know things are not perfect, especially when you're not the home country," Dalmas said.

"Things happen. We just had to wait a few hours to get picked up, it wasn't ideal... We adjust and we evolve... The guys took it with the best spirit, we're good," he added.

Hostilities for men's football begin on Monday, November 25 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with Malaysia facing Myanmar at 4:00pm and the Philippines going up against Cambodia in Group A.

Vietnam and Brunei also face off in Group B also at 4 pm in the Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna.