U17 Vietnam has secured a spot in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals and received a cash reward.

Although a draw would have sufficed, U17 Vietnam did not start the match with a defensive mindset, as that would have been risky. Moreover, coach Cristiano Roland’s squad was fully confident in their ability to win, so they took the initiative from the start. Right after the kickoff, U17 Vietnam launched a dominant attack, forcing U17 Malaysia into mistakes and fouls. From a free kick in the fourth minute by Nguyễn Lực, Văn Dương’s shot was parried by goalkeeper Khaufly, allowing Đăng Khoa to pass the ball to defender Mạnh Cường, who scored on the rebound to break the deadlock.

After conceding, U17 Malaysia pushed forward aggressively. In the seventh minute, goalkeeper Xuân Hòa made an excellent save against Nabil’s shot. This warning forced U17 Vietnam to stay more focused. The home team’s attacks were powerful and flexible, combining sharp plays through the center and wings. Notably, the left flank, managed by Văn Dương, frequently posed a threat to U17 Malaysia. Following Văn Dương’s shot that hit the post in the 16th minute, he later made a breakthrough on the left side inside the penalty area in the 43rd minute and assisted Anh Hào to double the lead. Being completely outplayed, the visitors only had a few notable attacks in the first half but failed to convert any into goals.

With a two-goal lead still not entirely secure, U17 Vietnam increased pressure early in the second half to extend their advantage. In the 49th minute, Văn Dương skillfully controlled the ball inside the box before firing a shot into the top corner, making it 3-0 for the home side. This third goal effectively ended U17 Malaysia’s hopes, and the “Young Tigers” lost the determination they showed in the first half. Consequently, U17 Vietnam played with ease. Additionally, with a comfortable score margin, coach Cristiano Roland’s players deliberately slowed the game pace to conserve energy and avoid heavy contact that could cause injuries.

In this situation, U17 Vietnam faced no difficulties from their opponents. Moreover, U17 Malaysia’s defense appeared disorganized, allowing U17 Vietnam to score a fourth goal in the 77th minute after a smooth combination, enabling Sỹ Mạnh to finish and increase the score to 4-0. That was the final result of the match.

Thus, U17 Vietnam completed the qualifiers with five wins, scoring 30 goals without conceding any, excellently topping Group C and securing a place in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals. With this achievement, U17 Vietnam became the sixth Vietnamese team to qualify for a continental final stage, following the national women’s team, U23 national team, men’s futsal national team, and U20 women’s national team.

At the conclusion of the match between U17 Vietnam and U17 Malaysia, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation, Chairman Trần Quốc Tuấn congratulated the U17 Vietnam team for their outstanding achievement in qualifying for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals as group C winners with four straight wins, and awarded the team a bonus of 600 million VND.

In the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, U17 Vietnam kept a clean sheet and scored a total of 30 goals. This record reflects thorough preparation over recent times, as immediately after the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals, the Vietnam Football Federation continued to increase investment in youth player development, aiming at upcoming competitions.

In this tournament, U17 Vietnam earned much acclaim from fans for their elegant passing style and the rise of numerous talented players. The excellent performance of coach Cristiano Roland’s team is the most meaningful gift to the loyal supporters and forms a solid foundation for greater ambitions in the future, targeting the 2034 World Cup.