I'm not entirely reassured about the Vietnam U19 team.

A 3-0 victory against U19 Timor-Leste gives U19 Vietnam a favorable start at the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship.

Hoang Cong Hau's hat-trick

On June 1st, the Vietnam U19 team secured an impressive 3-0 victory against Timor-Leste U19 thanks to a hat-trick from striker Hoang Cong Hau. Three points and a goal difference of +3 temporarily put Vietnam U19 at the top of Group A. In the later match, hosts Indonesia easily defeated Myanmar U19 3-0 but ranked behind the "Golden Star Warriors" due to receiving more yellow cards.

However, judging from their opening day performance, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi and his team still have a lot of work to do if they want to aim for bigger goals, especially qualifying for the U20 Asian Championship in September.

After the early goal, the Vietnam U19 team controlled the game but failed to create a dominant performance. Their ability to capitalize on opportunities remained limited, and their defense occasionally left gaps for the opponent's counter-attacks. Without the solid performance of goalkeeper Hoa Xuan Tin, Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's team could have easily conceded an unnecessary goal.

The biggest highlight was the explosive performance of Cong Hau. The striker, who previously helped The Cong Viettel win third place in the 2025 National U19 Championship, scored three goals in three different scenarios, demonstrating the versatility of a player who can make a difference for the Vietnam U19 team.

Vietnam U19 will face Myanmar before meeting Indonesia in the final match. (Photo: VFF)

2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers

In top-level football, you can't rely entirely on one individual. With many highly anticipated players like Tran Gia Bao and Nguyen Le Phat unable to participate, the "Golden Star Warriors" need to learn to adapt and make the most of the opportunities they get.

In particular, the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship is also an important dress rehearsal for the 2027 Asian U20 Championship qualifiers, where the Vietnam U20 team is in a challenging group with Iran, North Korea, and Palestine. These opponents all possess superior physical fitness, practical experience, and are regularly trained in highly competitive environments.

History also shows that the U19 level is the most difficult for Vietnamese men's football to conquer in Southeast Asia. While the national team, U17 and U23 teams have won the regional championship at least three times, the U19 team has only won it once, in 2007.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/chua-that-su-yen-tam-ve-u19-viet-nam-196260602210307235.htm