The unexpected elimination of Vietnam U19 by Cambodia has been suspiciously accused of being 'rigged'.

Vietnam U19 missed out on the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship after an unbelievable draw between Australia U19 and Cambodia U19, sparking a wave of controversy as many regional fans questioned the playing attitude of the Australian representatives.

Vietnam U19 has officially been eliminated from the group stage of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship following a highly surprising draw between Australia U19 and Cambodia U19. This result not only disappointed Vietnamese fans but also ignited heated debates among the Southeast Asian football community.

Before the final round of Group C matches, Vietnam U19 had a great chance to secure a semifinal spot as the best second-placed team. The necessary condition was for Australia U19 to defeat Cambodia U19.

Things went as expected in the first half. Just 18 minutes into the match, Australia U19 took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Marcus Neill and Alexandro Nunes. The Australian side completely dominated, creating numerous opportunities and forcing Cambodia to defend desperately.

However, the second half took an unexpected turn. Australia U19 lost control of the game, while Cambodia fought back strongly. In the 60th minute, Cambodia reduced the deficit to 1-2 after a deflection off an Australian defender's leg sent the ball into the net.

In the 83rd minute, another Australian player clumsily scored an own goal from a not particularly dangerous situation, allowing Cambodia to equalize 2-2. Notably, both of Cambodia's goals came from opponent own goals.

The 2-2 draw allowed Australia to retain the top spot in Group C, while Cambodia surpassed Vietnam U19 to claim the final semifinal berth. This outcome sparked numerous debates on Southeast Asian social media.

An Indonesian fan raised suspicions: "Australia took a 2-0 lead so easily, then suddenly played like a different team in the second half. It's really puzzling."

A Malaysian account commented: "Two own goals in the same match? I'm not accusing anything, but something feels off about this game."

Meanwhile, a Thai fan expressed dissatisfaction: "Australia had already secured their advancement, so they seemed to lack motivation. But the way they threw away their advantage makes many people question things."

On the other hand, many came to the defense of the Australian team: "Don't forget this is youth football. Individual mistakes happen frequently. There is no evidence that Australia intentionally drew with Cambodia."

For now, everything remains at the level of suspicion and debate among fans. However, the fact that Cambodia staged a comeback thanks to two own goals from Australia continues to be one of the most discussed topics following the conclusion of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship group stage.

With this result, the four teams advancing to the semifinals are Indonesia U19, Thailand U19, Australia U19, and Cambodia U19, while Vietnam U19 sadly bids farewell to the tournament.