Vietnam U17 needs to get points against UAE to qualify for the World Cup.

There 's still a chance to move forward.

After the first two rounds of the 2026 AFC U17 Championship, all four representatives in Group C, including Vietnam U17, still have a chance to advance. This makes the final round (0:00 on May 14th) a true "do-or-die" battle.

U17 Việt Nam phải có điểm trước UAE để đi World Cup - Ảnh 1. — Vietnam U17 has regained its spirits after the comeback defeat against South Korea in the second match (Photo: VFF)

Coach Cristiano Roland's team will secure a spot in the U17 World Cup next November if they beat the UAE U17 team. If the two teams draw, the "Golden Star Warriors" must hope that South Korea doesn't lose to Yemen. A defeat would mean elimination.

The UAE U17 team boasts many technically gifted players currently playing abroad, such as striker Hamza Swed (Manchester City youth team), midfielder Jayden Adetiba and goalkeeper Josh Bentley (Ipswich U18), and center-back Johannes Waimer (Augsburg U17)... They play relatively fluidly, have quick passing combinations, and often start matches very strongly. In their two recent matches against South Korea and Yemen, the UAE were the first to score.

Avoid repeating the unfortunate scenario.

However, unlike the usual resilience of West Asian representatives, the UAE U17 team at this continental tournament failed to maintain their advantage until the end of the match. Against South Korea, they conceded a goal in the 88th minute. And in the second match, UAE allowed Yemen to take the lead twice in the latter half of the game.

U17 Việt Nam phải có điểm trước UAE để đi World Cup - Ảnh 2. — The UAE U17 team is the final test for Vietnam U17's World Cup qualification (Photo: AFC)

This is an area where the Vietnam U17 team can focus on exploiting weaknesses. The unfortunate loss to South Korea, while revealing a lack of experience at a crucial moment, also reflected significant progress in tactical organization. Facing an East Asian opponent who has reached the top four in Asia three times in a row, the "Golden Star Warriors" played on equal terms for most of the match.

More importantly, coach Cristiano Roland's defensive system worked effectively at the beginning of the match when the players were still in peak physical condition. This became even more crucial because their opponent, the UAE U17 team, played with the most enthusiasm in the first half. It is highly likely that the match will be decided by the final moments.

Before the final match of Group C, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also commented: "The Southeast Asian team needs to maintain focus and avoid the mistakes that cost them dearly in the match against South Korea." The Vietnam U17 team needs to withstand the pressure while minimizing energy expenditure to maintain discipline throughout the 90 minutes.

Last year, it was a last-minute slump that cost the "Golden Star Warriors" their World Cup qualification spot to the UAE U17 team. Coach Cristiano Roland will certainly make several necessary adjustments to avoid a repeat of that unfortunate scenario.

In the final match of Group B last night (May 12th), U17 Qatar was eliminated after a 0-2 defeat against U17 China. Therefore, U17 Vietnam no longer has any hope of qualifying for the World Cup as one of the best third-placed teams. At this point, points in the match against U17 UAE are a mandatory condition to secure qualification for the World Cup.