Thailand U17 suffered a crushing defeat against Saudi Arabia U17 and were sent home early.

Losing 0-2 to hosts U17 Saudi Arabia in the second match of Group A of the 2026 AFC U17 Championship, U17 Thailand were officially eliminated and their World Cup dreams were shattered.

There were no miracles for the Thailand U17 team as they entered their second match in Group A of the 2026 AFC U17 Championship against hosts Saudi Arabia U17.

After losing 0-2 to Tajikistan U17 in their opening match, Thailand U17 must win against Saudi Arabia U17 to keep their hopes alive of reaching the quarterfinals and qualifying for the U17 World Cup.

In the previous match, the Thailand U17 team conceded a goal just seconds after kick-off due to an own goal.

Thailand U17 disappoints. Photo: AFC

This time, the U17 Thailand defense continued to show weaknesses in the opening plays, even though the pressure from U17 Saudi Arabia wasn't intense.

In just the 4th minute, Marwan Al Yami scored the opening goal for the home team.

The early goal conceded left the U17 Thailand team playing in disarray. While the team lacked cohesion, the Southeast Asian representatives relied heavily on the individual efforts of striker Phanuwit Jeyakim.

Coach Marco Gockel repeatedly instructed his players to remain calm and focus on coordinated play. Despite this, the team in blue still faced many difficulties.

For most of the match, the U17 Thailand team maintained their formation and actually created several clear-cut chances.

However, Jeyakim missed a golden opportunity. In addition, his teammates squandered at least three other good chances to score an equalizer.

Saudi Arabia U17 team qualifies for the World Cup. Photo: AFC

The U17 Saudi Arabia team defended very focused, and with a bit of luck, managed to hold their ground for the 90 minutes of regular time.

Entering injury time, as the U17 Thailand team desperately sought an equalizer, substitute Hassan Al Okrush scored the second goal for Saudi Arabia with his very first touches, sealing a 2-0 victory.

After two consecutive defeats, failing to score and conceding 4 goals, the Thailand U17 team no longer has a chance to advance in the 2026 AFC U17 Championship.

This defeat also means that Thai youth football missed out on the U17 World Cup. In the final match, they will play a formality match against U17 Myanmar before both teams pack their bags and return home.

Goals: Al Yami 4', Al Okrush 90'+2.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ket-qua-u17-thai-lan-vs-u17-saudi-arabia-u17-chau-a-2026-hom-nay-2514020.html