AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers – Group C: Hong Kong, China 2-0 Macau; Malaysia 13-0 N. Mariana Islands; Singapore 0-6 Vietnam
Hanoi: Malaysia and Vietnam registered emphatic wins while there was a triumphant start for Hong Kong, China as well in Group C of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™Qualifiers on Saturday.
Malaysia cruised 13-0 past Northern Mariana Islands, Vietnam saw off Singapore with a 6-0 win while Hong Kong, China defeated Macau 2-0.
Singapore 0-6 Vietnam
Vietnam took the lead as early as the fourth minute when Le Sy Back converted a penalty before Minh Nguyen Thuy doubled their advantage in the 25th minute after beating the offside trap, slotting past Singapore keeper Ilhan Rezal on his second attempt.
Le Trong Dai Nhan closed out the half with a thumping finish in the 38th minute to put Vietnam in a commanding lead.
Vietnam maintained control in the second half with Nguyen Luc Chu Ngoc converting Nguyen Minh Thuy’s cross with a crisp finish in the 64th minute, with Tran Manh Quanthen striking from the spot in the 68th minute and then netting his second in the 89th minute.
Hong Kong, China 2-0 Macau
Hong Kong, China controlled much of the opening period, creating several promising opportunities while keeping Macau largely on the defensive.
The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when Eden Tung Ki-Lok found the back of the net to give Hong Kong, China a slim advantage going into the break.
Wong Sean doubled the lead just before the hour-mark, finishing off a well-crafted move to put Hong Kong, China firmly in control.
Macau pushed forward to reduce the deficit but were unable to break through a disciplined Hong Kong, China defence.
Malaysia 13-0 Northern Mariana Islands
Malaysia opened their account in the fifth minute with Iman Danish turning in Iman Irfan’s set-up inside the six-yard-box, before doubling his tally in the 16th minute after reacting first to convert Arayyan Hakeem’s rebounded effort.
Muhammad Nurikhwan threaded a through ball for Danish to complete his hat-trick in the 20th minute with Muhammad Nabil drilling home Malaysia’s fourth in the 32nd minute before Irfan found the back of the net two minutes later with a curling effort.
Arfan Haziq then beat the offside trap in the 40th minute to power home a low drive past Landon Pudney before Arayyan burst into the box to slip the seventh into the back of the net at the stroke of half-time.
There was no respite for Northern Mariana Islands in the second half as the goals kept pouring in for Malaysia through Ali Ashraf (50th), Haziq (54th), Nurikhwan Othman (60th), an own goal from Jerz Navarro (66th), Fahim Akmal (82nd) and Haziq (90th) to cap an impressive outing for the Southeast Asian side.
