In a challenging match against a dominant U19 Australia, U19 Vietnam suffered a 2-6 defeat, leaving their chances of advancing to the semifinals of the ASEAN U19 Championship in Indonesia hanging by a thread.

Before the match, the ASEAN Football Federation and tournament organizers approved the Vietnam Football Federation's request for U19 Vietnam to observe a minute of silence and wear black armbands in memory of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

U19 Vietnam started strong on July 21, showing early dominance. However, U19 Australia’s attacking prowess quickly turned the game. Najikovski scored twice before halftime, giving U19 Australia a 2-0 lead.

Early in the second half, Sulemani added a third goal for U19 Australia. U19 Vietnam's hopes were briefly revived when Quang Dung scored from distance, making it 1-3. Yet, U19 Australia quickly extended their lead to 5-1 with goals from Najdovski and Sam Helweh.

Towards the end, U19 Vietnam managed to score again, with Bao Long converting a penalty after a mistake by goalkeeper Cullen. However, Vickery’s stoppage-time goal sealed a 6-2 victory for U19 Australia.

With this heavy defeat, U19 Vietnam is now third in Group B with just one point. U19 Australia, with two wins and six points, is almost assured of a semifinal spot.

Even with a win against U19 Laos in their final match on July 24, U19 Vietnam faces a tough challenge to advance, as only the top three teams from each group and the best second-placed team move forward to the semifinals.

Coach Hua Hien Vinh acknowledged the superior strength of U19 Australia following the 2-6 loss. Despite U19 Vietnam’s determination and effort, the disparity in skill was evident.

“U19 Vietnam has shown improvement, but we lost to a much stronger U19 Australia. As anticipated, U19 Australia is the top team in this group and a serious contender for the championship,” Coach Vinh said.

The U19 Vietnam head coach noted the team’s lack of international experience: “Our three friendly matches in China were insufficient for gaining the experience needed for such a competitive tournament. We hope this experience will help us prepare for the U20 Asian qualifiers in 2024.”

With slim chances of advancing, U19 Vietnam must secure a significant win against U19 Laos and rely on favorable results from other groups. Currently, the team has only one point and a goal difference of -3, making it unlikely to secure a top spot or one of the best second-place positions.

“We will field our strongest team against U19 Laos and are preparing thoroughly to secure the three points,” Coach Vinh confirmed.

Dai Nam