Vietnam failed to qualify for the 2012 AFC Under-16 Championship after losing to Japan 2-5 in the tournament's fifth and final Group F qualifying match on Thursday.

Despite playing against a stronger rival, Viet Nam was on the attack and scored their first gold in the first minute but Japan levelled the score in the 35th minute.

With clear dominance in terms of skills, tactics and physical strength, the Japanese footballers scored two more goals in the 51st and 56th minute.

Viet Nam tried their best to level the score and their efforts were repaid with a goal in the 63rd minute but Japan continued to score two more goals in the 66th and 72nd minute.

In other matches, South Korea defeated Cambodia 10-0, and Laos beat Chinese Taipei 5-0.

With seven points after five matches, Viet Nam ranked fourth in the group. South Korea and Japan secured berths to go on.

Forty teams were divided into two zones and separated into seven groups of five and six teams each. Each group played one round at a centralised venue with the top two teams from each group moving on to the tournament.

The top three teams from both West and East zones will compete as part of the 16-team line-up at the 2012 finals.

VNS