VFF reacts to U19 Vietnam's bitter elimination in the group stage

The VFF reached out to console the U19 Vietnam squad following their inability to qualify for the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship.

The journey of the U19 Vietnam team at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship officially came to an end after the final Group C matches concluded with Cambodia U19 drawing 2-2 with Australia U19 on the evening of June 9. U19 Vietnam could not advance further, having only 3 points (excluding the result against Timor-Leste), while Cambodia U19 had 4 points and advanced to the semifinals as the best second-place team across all groups.

The VFF's official website offered words of encouragement to the players of U19 Vietnam after their unfortunate elimination from the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship: "For U19 Vietnam, failing to reach the semifinals is regrettable, especially since the team had a promising start with victories over Timor-Leste U19 and Myanmar U19. However, the tournament has also provided valuable lessons and experiences for the young players on their path to growth.

In particular, the match against hosts Indonesia U19 in the final group stage game highlighted the challenges that the young players still need to overcome to enhance their international competition skills. Competing in a high-pressure environment, facing a strong home crowd, and playing decisive matches will serve as important assets for the players to gain experience for the road ahead."

Earlier, as the second-place team in Group A after the group stage, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's squad still had a chance to compete for the best second-place spot in the semifinals. In Group B's matches on the evening of June 8, Thailand U19's victory over Malaysia U19 brought positive signals for U19 Vietnam by eliminating a direct rival.

This turned all attention to the clash between Australia U19 and Cambodia U19 in Group C. A win for Australia U19 would give U19 Vietnam a chance to be among the top four teams of the tournament.

Although Australia U19 led 2-0 in the first half, unexpected complacency in the second half cost them two goals, both own goals. The 2-2 draw still allowed Australia U19 to top Group C with 4 points, thus securing a semifinal spot against hosts Indonesia U19. Meanwhile, Cambodia U19 became the best second-place team and claimed the remaining semifinal ticket, where they will face Thailand U19.