In the Asian youth football landscape, South Korea has always been a formidable name with an impressive record. Specifically in the U17 Asian Championship, the team from the land of kimchi boasts two championships and three runner-up finishes. They are not only in Saudi Arabia for a World Cup qualification spot, but also as a strong contender for the title. Despite a disappointing 1-1 draw against the UAE U17 team in their opening match, the statistics displayed by the South Korean U17 team still make their opponents wary. For over 90 minutes, South Korea completely dominated in every aspect, from nearly 70% possession to the number of shots on goal. Their frustration in that match stemmed from their strikers' ineffective finishing, while the UAE U17 team played a disciplined, deep defensive game.
Vietnam U.17 faces an ultimate challenge.
The narrow victory against Yemen not only brought three valuable points but also helped the Vietnam U17 team rediscover the feeling of winning a match in a continental competition after a 10-year wait. However, the next opponent for coach Cristiano Roland's team, the South Korea U17 team, is a much greater challenge.
Báo Thanh niên•09/05/2026
The South Korean U.17 team (left) are not only fast and strong, but also very good at exploiting space.
PHOTO: AFC
The South Korean U17 team plays a modern style, combining speed and excellent physical fitness. A major advantage is their uniformly tall and superior physique compared to the average. Statistically, the South Korean U17 team has the second-highest average height in the tournament (1.817 m). With the majority of players over 1.8 m tall, Coach Kim Hyun-jun's squad is not only strong in one-on-one challenges but also extremely dangerous in aerial duels and set-piece situations. Within this well-balanced team, Ahn Joo-wan has emerged as the brightest star, hailed by experts as the "new prodigy" of South Korean football. Currently, the midfielder, born in 2007, has already signed a professional contract and plays for Seoul E-Land in K-League 2.
Before the match against South Korea, coach Cristiano Roland confidently stated, "Vietnam U.17 can do even better."
Ahn Joo-wan possesses sharp tactical vision and plays the role of playmaker in the current style of play for the South Korean U17 team. The 17-year-old midfielder is capable of distributing the ball smoothly and creating highly effective assists for his teammates. It was Ahn Joo-wan who shone at the right moment with a valuable goal in the final minutes of the match against the UAE, helping his team secure a point and avoid a disastrous opening day scenario. The presence of this midfielder on the field forces the Vietnamese U17 defense to maintain maximum concentration.
Entering their second match against Vietnam U17 at 11 PM on May 10th, South Korea U17 will undoubtedly approach the game cautiously with an uncompromising spirit. For them, this is not just a match to win 3 points to keep their hopes of advancing alive, but also an opportunity to assert their status as a "powerhouse" after a less-than-ideal start. The pressure to win will cause the Koreans to push their formation high from the start, creating tremendous pressure on the opposing team's half. This will be a huge challenge for the defensive system that coach Roland is building, because their upcoming opponent is not only fast and strong but also very skilled at exploiting space.
The AFC U-17 Men's Championship, from May 5th to May 23rd, on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, with free Viettel 4G/5G data.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u17-viet-nam-gap-thu-thach-cuc-dai-185260508193958652.htm
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