Vietnamese prodigy shines, helping his team draw with De Bruyne’s juniors

Thiên Phú was brilliant with a goal against U17 KAA Gent, aiding U17 Hanoi to earn an important draw.

U17 Hanoi Begins International Tournament with a Resilient Draw Against U17 KAA Gent. On October 24, U17 Hanoi kicked off their campaign at the K-League International Youth Cup Incheon 2025 (South Korea) facing strong opponents U17 KAA Gent from Belgium. KAA Gent is known for developing superstar Kevin De Bruyne and other famous Belgian players.

Facing a team rated superior in physique and skill, U17 Hanoi’s young players chose a cautious approach from the start, beginning slowly and prioritizing precision in every move. Nevertheless, with higher quality, U17 KAA Gent quickly took control of the game and created numerous dangerous attacks. After sustained pressure, the Belgian side scored the opening goal in the 20th minute through a well-executed combination play.

In the second half, Coach Phạm Minh Đức’s team continued their careful play but actively sought an equalizer. U17 Hanoi’s efforts were rewarded in the 51st minute when Nguyễn Thiên Phú accelerated to receive the ball, skillfully penetrated the penalty area, and successfully finished to level the score 1-1.

Thiên Phú is a standout young talent in the Vietnamese U17 squad competing in the 2025 AFC U17 Championship but missing out on World Cup qualification. Thiên Phú and Gia Bảo are two players over 1.80m tall, expected to become key forwards for Vietnamese football in the future.

In the final minutes, both teams engaged in an exciting back-and-forth battle. However, no further goals were scored. Ultimately, U17 Hanoi earned a valuable point with a 1-1 draw against U17 KAA Gent in their opening match.

According to the schedule, Coach Phạm Minh Đức and his players will face U17 Pohang Steelers (South Korea) in their next match at 2:00 PM on October 25. Other teams in Group B alongside U17 Hanoi include Gamba Osaka, Seongnam, and Bupyeong High School. The top two teams after the round-robin stage will compete in the final.