Don't cry for the champion and runner-up!

The champion and runner-up… were eliminated.

When the teams from the University of Water Resources and the University of Physical Education and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City reached the final of the 2nd Vietnam Youth and Student Football Tournament – ​​2024 (TNSV THACO Cup 2024), experts assessed this as a battle between the two most powerful forces in Vietnamese student football at present.

The Water Resources University is very familiar with the finals. Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports has achieved glory in many major competitions.

At the time, perhaps few expected that both the defending champion (Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports) and the runner-up (Water Resources University) would fail to qualify for the THACO Cup 2025. That unbelievable scenario has come true.

Defending champions Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports (in white jerseys) were eliminated.

The reigning runner-up in the Irrigation Engineering competition has been eliminated.

The Water Resources University was eliminated in the northern qualifying play-off round after losing to the Thanh Hoa University of Culture, Sports and Tourism on penalties (0-0 draw in regular time). The Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports suffered a similar fate, losing to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry in the play-off round, and also… on penalties.

Both teams lost in a similar penalty shootout scenario: the opponent missed first, but then the defending champion and the defending runner-up both inexplicably missed their penalties, resulting in them having to watch the final from home.

Regarding the defending runners-up, Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports, coach Pham Thai Vinh admitted that his team did not play as well as their opponents during the 80 minutes of regular time. And in the penalty shootout, the players also failed, due to less thorough preparation than their opponents. While the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry players took extremely accurate and decisive shots, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports players played relatively loosely. Their lack of composure at the decisive moment cost them dearly.

Following their championship win last year, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports team rejuvenated their squad. However, the void left by striker Nguyen Minh Nhat, coupled with the rise of their rivals, caught coach Pham Thai Vinh and his team off guard.

Penalty shootouts have become a nightmare for many teams.

Sharing a similar fate, the Water Resources University team was eliminated in the qualifying round on their home ground, failing to overcome the penalty shootout jinx. The reigning runner-up, Water Resources University, had lost two finals in the Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament, as well as two finals in other student tournaments over the past two years, all on penalties. This unpredictable series of kicks became a psychological barrier, causing Coach Vu Van Trung's team to suffer a bitter elimination by a newly promoted team.

When the qualifying rounds are just as tough as the finals.

The 2025 THACO Cup qualifying round featured 67 teams, but only 11 advanced to the finals. This means that, on average, only 1 out of every 6 teams qualified. At the draw, many coaches admitted that the THACO Cup was unpredictable and intense right from the qualifying rounds. No team automatically secured a spot; they had to compete fiercely.

It's impossible to say that the teams from the University of Water Resources or the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports eased out. Both the defending champions and runners-up carefully "held back," taking to the field with respect for their opponents and focusing all their efforts on the goal of advancing.

Nevertheless, the development of football movements in many universities has created quality teams. For example, in their first appearance in the tournament, the Thanh Hoa University of Culture, Sports and Tourism team defeated the runner-up from the Water Resources University, and the Hanoi University of Industry team also posed a challenge to the Hanoi University of Physical Education and Sports team until the very last seconds.

Last year, defending champions Hue University were highly rated, but were eliminated in the qualifying round after a defeat against Da Nang University of Sports and Physical Education. This year, the same team had to work hard to earn their place in the finals. As teams become more professional, improving their skills and battlefield experience, the THACO Student Football Cup will witness many more surprises. However, that is the pure beauty of football.

The final round of the TNSV THACO Cup 2025 will be worth watching!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dung-khoc-cho-nha-vo-dich-va-a-quan-185250116211125385.htm