U17 Vietnam won 3-0 in a friendly match against the PVF team
On the afternoon of March 5th, U17 Vietnam played a friendly match to test personnel and playing style against the PVF U17 team. This was also the first friendly match for the team since assembling the full squad at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center.
To assist the coaching staff’s professional needs, the match was divided into three halves, each lasting 30 minutes, allowing ample opportunity to experiment with tactics and line-up arrangements for the 34 players called up. As a result, U17 Vietnam won 3-0, with goals scored by Đức Nhật in the first half, Anh Kiệt, and Quảng Hưng in the third half. In this match, the new Vietnamese overseas player, Thomas Mai Veereen, had the chance to showcase his skills for most of the first half, demonstrating great effort and determination.
After the match, Coach Cristiano Roland stated that U17 Vietnam had only been training together for two days with a full squad, so there were still many areas that needed improvement compared to the goals set by the coaching staff. The team also had some new players who were joining the camp for the first time, so the overall cohesion of the team was not yet ideal. “Friendly matches like today’s are very important, as they help the U17 Vietnam team build a competitive spirit and give the coaching staff more insight into the team’s strengths and areas that need improvement. The players need matches like this to progress further,” said Coach Cristiano Roland.
The Brazilian coach emphasized that opportunities are open to all players, and the coaching staff will select those who meet the requirements to participate in the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup. “We want all players to have the opportunity to play in friendly matches like this. It’s not just Thomas Mai Veeren; any player who is joining the team for the first time must go through an integration phase. From the coaching staff’s side, we aim to motivate and help the players integrate quickly into the team, as well as understand the coaching staff’s requirements and ideas. After this process, those players who adapt and meet the expectations will be kept,” Coach Cristiano Roland stressed.
In the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup, the Vietnam U17 team is placed in a group with Japan U17, Australia U17, and UAE U17. Coach Cristiano Roland stated that all three of Vietnam’s opponents are very strong. However, similar to the strategy in the qualifiers, the entire team will focus and strive to achieve the goals set for each match.
