Popov to coach team Myanmar for U-23 Asian Qualifiers

Velizar Popov, a Bulgarian national, will handle the Myanmar U-23 men’s national football team ahead of 2022 U-23 Asian Qualifiers to be held in October, said Myanmar Football Federation officials.
The Myanmar Football Federation appointed Popov as a head coach of the Myanmar U-22 team in early 2019 and the football federation extended his contract after winning a bronze medal at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.
This is Popov’s second time in charge of the tourney as the first time was in March 2019.
During the 2019 tournament, Myanmar beat Macau and Timor-Leste, but finished second with a big loss to Japan and failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The 2022 U-23 Asian Cup Championship Qualifiers will be held from 27 to 31 October.
Myanmar team is placing in Group I together with Viet Nam, Hong Kong and China Taipei.
The 2022 U-23 Asian Cup Championship Qualifiers will be divided into 11 groups. A total of 15 teams will qualify for the next stage.
In 2019, Popov handled the Myanmar U-22 team in three international tournaments, winning eight bronze medals, despite the poor results of the ASEAN U-22 Championship and the Asian Cup U-23 Championship.—Ko Nyi Lay/GNLM