Vietnam U19 make strong start at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship
On the afternoon of June 1, Vietnam U19 enjoyed a successful opening match at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, securing a 3-0 victory over Timor-Leste U19 in their first Group A fixture. Forward Cong Hau emerged as the standout performer of the match with a hat-trick, helping coach Yutaka Ikeuchi’s side claim all three points.
02/06/2026 11:34:07
Right after the opening whistle, Vietnam U19 pushed forward aggressively, took control of the game, and continuously applied pressure in the opponent’s half. Their energetic start was quickly rewarded with an opening goal in the 2nd minute. Following a skillful move down the right flank, Duc Vu delivered a well-placed pass for Cong Hau to race through and finish accurately into an empty net, giving Vietnam U19 a 1-0 lead.
However, the early goal did not make for an easy contest. Just two minutes later, Vietnam U19’s defense left gaps at the back, allowing a Timor-Leste U19 forward a dangerous shooting opportunity. Fortunately for the team in red, the ball narrowly flashed across the face of goal.
After that warning, Vietnam U19 continued to dominate possession and created several notable chances. In the 13th minute, Cong Hau made a quick run before sending a low cross for Duc Vu to shoot toward the far corner, but an opposing defender intervened in time to clear the danger. Then, in the 35th minute, Cong Hau again came close to scoring after beating the offside trap, only to see his effort skim the side netting.
Despite controlling the game for most of the first half, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi’s players were unable to capitalize fully on their opportunities and went into halftime holding a narrow 1-0 advantage.
In the second half, Timor-Leste U19 dropped deeper and organized a compact defense, causing considerable difficulty for Vietnam U19’s attacking efforts. Meanwhile, Vietnam U19 were unable to make the most of their set-piece opportunities. In the 52nd minute, Duc Vu had a chance to double the lead, but his header from a favorable position went wide.
Facing a well-organized defensive system, Vietnam U19 had to wait until the closing stages to find their second goal. In the 83rd minute, from a pinpoint cross by Quoc Khanh on the right flank, Cong Hau produced a spectacular volley, leaving the Timor-Leste U19 goalkeeper with no chance and extending the lead to 2-0.
As the match entered the first minute of stoppage time, the striker developed through the The Cong Viettel academy once again made his mark. Showing confidence on the ball, Cong Hau dribbled past his marker before firing a precise angled shot into the far corner, completing his hat-trick and sealing a 3-0 victory for Vietnam U19.
The opening-day win gave Vietnam U19 a positive start in Group A and boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the upcoming challenges at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. In their second group-stage match, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi’s side will face Myanmar U19.
