After two matches, coach Cristiano Roland’s side has collected three points and currently sits second in Group C, level on points with Yemen U17 but ahead thanks to the head-to-head result. South Korea U17 leads the group with six points, while the UAE U17 remains bottom with one point.

In the final group-stage match, Vietnam U17 will face UAE U17 at 00:00 on May 14. A victory would guarantee the red-shirted side a place in the quarter-finals and secure direct qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup, regardless of the result between South Korea U17 and Yemen U17.

However, another notable scenario could also work in Vietnam’s favor.

Under tournament regulations, the top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals and automatically qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup. But if Qatar U17, host of the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup, reaches the quarter-finals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup, the World Cup slot already reserved for Qatar would be reassigned to the best-performing third-placed team from the group stage.

That possibility could offer Vietnam U17 another pathway to the World Cup if the team fails to finish in the top two of Group C.

Qatar U17 currently has a strong chance of progressing from Group B, with a final-round match against China U17, which has yet to earn a point in the tournament.

Even so, Vietnam U17 still needs to focus on controlling its own destiny by defeating the UAE. Any potential qualification through the additional slot should only be viewed as a backup scenario, as progression remains fully within the hands of coach Cristiano Roland and his players.

Thien Binh