A dream final

At 3 PM today (April 5th), the closing ceremony and the final match of the 2nd International Youth and Student Football Tournament - 2026, THACO Cup, will take place at Nha Trang University (Khanh Hoa), broadcast live on FPT Play, HTV Sports, SCTV, KTV, and the platforms of Thanh Nien Newspaper.

The desire to reach the pinnacle of glory.

Participating in the 2026 International Student Games as the Vietnamese Student Games champion, the Water Resources University team harbors the dream of defeating the National University of Malaysia team (at 3:20 PM) to bring the prestigious trophy back to their trophy room.

A clash between two outstanding captains: Nguyen Hoang Danh of the Water Resources University and Iman Hakimi Bin Aznan of the National University of Malaysia. Who will lead their team to glory?

PHOTO: INDEPENDENT - DUY ANH

Possessing a squad of experienced players such as Nguyen Hoang Danh, Tran Duc Hoan, Tran Bao Trung, Bui Xuan Truong, along with eager "first-year and second-year" players, the Water Resources University team played extremely impressively. The team's strength stemmed from their disciplined play, sharp tactical thinking, and especially their ability to leverage the power of teamwork. Captain Nguyen Hoang Danh excelled in controlling the midfield, dictating the tempo of the game, and launching effective attacks, particularly in free-kick situations. Striker Tran Duc Hoan had a keen goal-scoring ability, especially in seizing opportunities within the penalty area. Bui Xuan Truong created highly unpredictable attacking plays, surprising opponents. When facing a deadlock, the Water Resources University team also had effective attacks from the second line and possessed talented players ready to replace and refresh the attack, such as Nguyen Ba Hoan, who played exceptionally well whenever given the chance.

In the semi-finals and finals, the Water Resources University team was without coach Vu Van Trung on the bench due to personal commitments. However, assistant coach Truong Minh Duc was given full confidence by the team in his ability to inspire and promote the team's traditional collective strength.

The representatives from Malaysia are ready to spring a surprise.

The National University of Malaysia team, the opponent of the University of Water Resources in the final, also harbored ambitions of bringing the cup home. In the group stage, they suffered a disappointing 0-1 loss to the University of Laos but bounced back with a convincing 2-0 victory against the host team, Nha Trang University, to secure a place in the semi-finals. After a tough match against the University of Svay Rieng (Cambodia), the National University of Malaysia team still managed a narrow 1-0 victory to advance to the final.

The clash between the two outstanding team captains, Nguyen Hoang Danh of the Water Resources University (left) and Iman Hakimi Bin Aznan of the National University of Malaysia, will be very dramatic.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENT - DUY ANH

The strength of the team from Malaysia is their technical, powerful, and fast playing style. With just a few quick combinations, the National University of Malaysia team immediately creates trouble for the opposing defense. In particular, this team possesses striker Izrin Bin Ibrahim (11) who plays cleverly, has diverse and effective free-kick and finishing abilities. It was Izrin Bin Ibrahim who "caused sorrow" for the Svay Rieng University team in the semi-finals with a classy free-kick in injury time. Before that, he also showed his "superior" goal-scoring ability with a double goal against the host team Nha Trang University. Fortunately for the defense of the Water Resources University team, Izrin Bin Ibrahim was suspended for this last match.

However, according to coach Mohd Roslan, the National University of Malaysia team came to Nha Trang not for tourism but to conquer, so the "dream final" match between this team and the University of Water Resources promises to be exciting and captivating.

Determined to achieve a historic double championship.

For those who love football at the Water Resources University, Truong Minh Duc is not an unfamiliar name. He is a former student of the university, who spent five years of his youth playing for the school's team since the 2014 season. His deep understanding of the team and unwavering love for the school helped Minh Duc quickly adapt to the pressure.

When coach Vu Van Trung was forced to be absent at the most crucial point of the season due to personal reasons, the 31-year-old assistant coach became the "chosen one" to lead the younger players through this critical stage. Coach Truong Minh Duc shared: "Coach Vu Van Trung assigned me the task of going to Nha Trang to encourage the players. He has already prepared the playing style and taken care of the technical aspects. I'm here to provide moral support to the whole team. Our goal is to reach the final, and this is also a gift to our coach. But that's not all; I don't want to let down Coach Trung's trust. Therefore, the Water Resources University team will be highly determined to win the final match, thereby achieving a historic double title."

Regarding their opponent in the final, the National University of Malaysia, Coach Truong Minh Duc commented: "It can be said that the National University of Malaysia is a very strong opponent with a well-rounded team. Therefore, we must prepare thoroughly and compete for the honor of Vietnam, not just for the Water Resources University."

Captain Nguyen Hoang Danh of the Water Resources University team – who won the Best Player award at the Vietnam National University Student Games – said: "We have longed to lift the Vietnam National University Student Games championship trophy since our first participation, but we finished second twice and only succeeded on the third attempt. This year, the whole team has reached the pinnacle of glory at the Vietnam National University Student Games and now stands before the opportunity to win the international National University Student Games championship. This is a rare opportunity in my student life and that of my teammates at the Water Resources University. With that aspiration, we will play the final match with all our ability and strength."

On the other hand, Head Coach Mohd Roslan of the National University of Malaysia team commented: "The University of Water Resources possesses a highly organized playing style, combining discipline and effective attacking capabilities. This team will pose a significant challenge to any opponent. I think that, among the two Vietnamese student teams participating in this tournament, the University of Water Resources has more experience. However, our goal in every match is to aim for victory." Goalkeeper Harris Herman expressed: "I want to make the dream of winning the championship a reality with my teammates. This is my first time in Vietnam participating in a student tournament. It would be a wonderful memory to win in Nha Trang, the beautiful coastal city."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tran-chung-ket-trong-mo-185260404225809973.htm