The Vietnam U17 football team missed a chance to secure their spot in the U17 World Cup after a late-game collapse against South Korea. Despite taking an early lead, Vietnam conceded four goals in the final minutes, leaving their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals and securing a World Cup berth dependent on their final match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to Vietnamese media including Nhân Dân, Vietnam, led by coach Cristiano Rolando, fell 1-4 to South Korea in their second match of Group C at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship on May 11. Vietnam opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Le Si Park broke through the offside trap to score with a diagonal shot after receiving a pass from Dao Quy Vuong.
Throughout the first half, Vietnam effectively pressured South Korea and executed quick attacks from the flanks. However, in the second half, South Korea intensified their offensive efforts, gradually shifting the momentum in their favor. In the 83rd minute, An Seon-hyun equalized with a low, powerful shot from a free kick just inside the 17-meter mark, completely turning the tide of the match.
Following the equalizer, Vietnam visibly struggled. Just two minutes later, they allowed Nam Ian to score again due to a lapse in defensive concentration. In the 88th minute, An Ju-wan scored from long range, and in stoppage time, Kim Ji-woo added a fourth goal, finalizing the score at 1-4.
This defeat means Vietnam cannot secure an early qualification for the World Cup. They will face UAE in their final match on May 14 at midnight local time. A victory in this match would significantly enhance their chances of reaching the quarterfinals and qualifying for the 2026 U17 World Cup in Qatar. Teams that reach the quarterfinals will automatically secure a World Cup ticket.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) stated on their official website shortly after the match, "Following the comeback loss to South Korea, the U17 Vietnam team must put in greater effort in their final match against UAE." The federation added, "U17 Vietnam has not yet secured a World Cup ticket. With one match remaining, we will continue our challenge toward the global stage."
The VFF's official fan page reported that after the match, VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan and coach Cristiano Rolando personally visited the locker room to encourage the players. "Although we did not achieve the desired result, this match will serve as a valuable lesson for our young players to grow and gain international experience," they stated. They concluded with a message of support: "Failure is part of football. What matters is to become stronger from that failure. There is still one game left. Let's keep moving forward, young warriors of Vietnam!"
In related news, the draw for the 2027 Saudi Arabia Asian Cup placed Vietnam in Group E alongside South Korea, UAE, and the winner of the Lebanon-Yemen match. This means Vietnam will face South Korea again next year at the national team level. Historically, Vietnam has faced South Korea seven times, with a record of one win and six losses, scoring two goals and conceding 23. Their only victory came in the 2004 Asian Cup qualifiers with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Pham Van Quyen, while their most recent encounter ended in a 0-6 defeat in an October 2023 friendly.
After the match, Kim Sang-sik, the head coach of the Vietnam national team, expressed, "As a professional coach, I focus 100% on football. If we prepare well, we can compete on equal terms with South Korea and even surpass them." Kim has over 30 years of experience in football and previously managed Jeonbuk Hyundai in the K League from 2021 to 2023. He also led U23 Vietnam to a surprising victory over U23 South Korea in the third-place match of the 2026 U23 Asian Championship.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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