Vietnam's team is approaching a historic AFF final match against Laos.

If both overcome the Southeast Asian U17 semifinals, Vietnamese and Lao football will have their first encounter in a regional championship match.

The 2026 Southeast Asian U17 semifinals are generating high expectations among regional fans, particularly the possibility of a historic final between Vietnam U17 and Laos U17. If they defeat Malaysia U17 in the remaining match, the representatives from the Land of a Million Elephants will have their first opportunity to compete for the championship against Vietnam in an official regional tournament.

Currently, the biggest challenge for coach Cristiano Roland and his squad is the match against Australia U17, which Southeast Asian media considers the "early final" of the tournament. Both teams demonstrated superior strength from the group stage, remaining unbeaten and conceding no goals. Vietnam U17 earned 7 points after three matches, scoring 14 goals, while Australia U17 won all three matches and scored 15 goals.

This tournament is also significant for both teams as a preparatory step ahead of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals in May. Therefore, both Vietnam U17 and Australia U17 are deploying their strongest squads with high determination. This encounter promises to be intense as both aim for the Southeast Asian championship.

Under coach Cristiano Roland's guidance, Vietnam U17 displays a positive outlook with diverse attacking tactics, flexible coordination, and reliance on multiple players. The 14 goals in the group stage were scored by eight different players, from forwards like Van Duong and Sy Bach to midfielders such as Nguyen Luc and Duy Khang, or defender Manh Cuong.

However, the defense remains an area where the coaching staff cannot be fully reassured. The red-shirted team occasionally makes errors in ball distribution from their own half or lacks concentration in marking situations, creating dangerous opportunities for opponents. Against a physically strong and direct-playing opponent like Australia, such mistakes must be minimized to secure a spot in the final.

In the other semifinal, Malaysia U17 will face the tournament's biggest sensation, Laos U17. Malaysia showed impressive resilience by overcoming a heavy defeat in their opening match to rebound strongly and advance. Meanwhile, Laos U17 surprised by topping Group B unbeaten, notably with a 3-2 victory over Thailand U17. If they continue to upset Malaysia, Lao football could realistically dream of a historic final with Vietnam U17.

VIDEO: Vietnam U17 eliminates host Indonesia in the Southeast Asian group stage.

Vietnam U17 vs Australia U17: Advancing proudly to the final.