Vietnam U19 team trains before their opening match against Timor Leste U19 in Group A of the Southeast Asian U19 Championship - Photo: VFF
At 4 PM this afternoon (June 1st), the Vietnam U19 team will play their first match of the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship in Indonesia against Timor Leste U19 in Group A.
A resounding victory not only secured the first three points but also served as crucial preparation for the fiercely contested tie-breaking criteria race.
According to this year's tournament format, 12 teams are divided into 3 groups, but only the 3 group winners and the best-performing second-placed team advance to the semi-finals.
Placed in Group A alongside host nation Indonesia, Myanmar, and U19 Timor Leste, the Vietnam U19 team understands that any mistake will be costly.
According to predictions, the final match against U19 Indonesia will most likely be the "final" that will decide the top spot for U19 Vietnam.
Therefore, accumulating a good goal difference right from the opening match against the weakest opponent in the group, Timor Leste, becomes a mandatory task for the Vietnam U19 team.
Despite being considered the superior team, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's squad is facing a personnel issue as they do not have their strongest lineup available.
The majority of the U19 Vietnam team this time consists of young players born in 2008, who just competed in the national U17 team last year.
Aware of the challenges ahead, the Japanese strategist was extremely cautious: "We treat every match in this tournament as a final."
In the past, Timor Leste's youth teams have frequently suffered defeats against Vietnam. However, caution is warranted, as their opponents have prepared extremely seriously.
The U19 Timor Leste team has been training since April and has added a number of players who are living and studying abroad.
Although the country's media acknowledges that the U19 teams of Vietnam and Indonesia are considered stronger, they still aim to fight their hardest to create a surprise and hone the skills of the younger generation.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/truc-tuyen-u19-viet-nam-u19-timor-leste-quyet-thang-20260601103330353.htm
Comment (0)