Indonesian media: 'Vietnam U19 elimination is a shock'

Indonesian media were taken aback by Vietnam U19's elimination in the group stage of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, describing it as a "shock" for the team led by coach Yutaka Ikeuchi.

The group stage of the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship concluded after the match between Australia U19 and Cambodia U19 on June 9 at Madya Sumatra Utara Stadium. That clash ended in a 2-2 draw.

Australia U19 got off to a perfect start by taking an early lead. In the 2nd minute, Marcus Neill opened the scoring for the Socceroos. By the 14th minute, Alex Nunes doubled the advantage.

However, Cambodia U19 mounted a strong comeback in the second half. Coach Sopheaktra Phea's side reduced the deficit to 1-2 in the 59th minute through Sokea Sreng. In the 81st minute, an own goal by Lewis Marinucci helped Cambodia equalize at 2-2.

From the start, Australia U19 did not necessarily need a win to advance. For coach Trevor Morgan's squad, a draw was enough to secure a spot in the semifinals.

In the end, Australia drew 2-2 with Cambodia and topped Group C with 4 points, finishing ahead of Cambodia thanks to a better goal difference. Australia qualified for the semifinals.

Cambodia also made it to the round of the top four teams. They finished as runners-up in Group C and secured a place as the best second-placed team.

Cambodia became the best runner-up with 4 points, surpassing Vietnam U19 and Malaysia in the standings of second-placed teams. Vietnam U19 failed to reach the semifinals, creating a major shock for the "Golden Star Warriors".

The newspaper Bola emphasized: Vietnam U19 has officially been eliminated from the championship race. This is a regrettable outcome for the young Vietnamese team after their efforts in the group stage.

The four teams advancing to the semifinals of the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship have been determined: Indonesia (Group A winners), Thailand (Group B winners), Australia (Group C winners), and Cambodia (best runner-up).