U19 Vietnam conclude campaign at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship
U19 Vietnam’s journey at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship officially came to an end following the conclusion of the final Group C fixtures on the evening of June 9, when Cambodia U19 and Australia U19 played out a 2-2 draw.
10/06/2026 10:35:21
Prior to that, after finishing second in Group A, head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi’s side still had a chance of reaching the semi-finals as the best second-placed team of the tournament. In Group B on June 8, Thailand U19’s victory over Malaysia U19 provided a positive outcome for Vietnam U19, eliminating one of their direct rivals in the race for qualification.
As a result, attention turned to the Group C clash between Australia U19 and Cambodia U19. A victory for Australia U19 would have been enough to send Vietnam U19 into the tournament’s final four.
In fact, the match initially unfolded in Vietnam’s favour as Australia U19 demonstrated their superiority from the opening minutes. Marcus Neill opened the scoring in the second minute before Alexandro Nunes doubled the advantage in the 17th minute, giving the Young Socceroos a commanding 2-0 lead.
However, the game then took an unexpected turn. Despite controlling possession and dictating play for much of the match, Australia U19 were unable to maintain the efficiency required to protect their advantage.
Cambodia U19 returned strongly after the break and gradually found their way back into the contest. In the 59th minute, Sreng Sokea struck a shot that took a deflection off an Australian defender before finding the net, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
The drama intensified in the 81st minute when Australia defender Lewis Marinucci inadvertently turned the ball into his own net from a corner kick, allowing Cambodia U19 to level the score at 2-2. The result remained unchanged until the final whistle.
The draw secured top spot in Group C for Australia U19 with four points, sending them into the semi-finals against hosts Indonesia U19. Meanwhile, Cambodia U19 finished as the tournament’s best second-placed team and claimed the remaining semi-final berth, where they will face Thailand U19.
For Vietnam U19, missing out on the semi-finals is a disappointing outcome, particularly after the team began the tournament strongly with victories over Timor-Leste U19 and Myanmar U19. Nevertheless, the competition has provided valuable lessons and important experience for the young players as they continue their development.
In particular, the final group-stage match against hosts Indonesia U19 highlighted the challenges that Vietnam’s young talents must continue to overcome in order to enhance their competitiveness on the international stage. Competing in a highly demanding environment, under intense pressure from home supporters and in decisive matches, will serve as valuable experience for the players moving forward.
According to the team’s schedule, Vietnam U19 will regroup after the 2026 National U21 Championship to prepare for their next major objective: the Group C qualifiers for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027, which will be held at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho Province from August 31 to September 6.
